Liverpool players dominate the list after their memorable 2018/19 season culminated in Champions League glory.
Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane are all included among the nominees.
Van Dijk is among the favourites to claim the prize – he’s already won UEFA’s Player of the Year award – but he’ll be up against Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who beat him to FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player award in September.
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is also nominated after he helped Portugal win the inaugural UEFA Nations League.
He scored 51 goals in 49 appearances and added 19 assists in all competitions, helping Barcelona win La Liga for the fourth time in five years.
But perhaps it will be Van Dijk who wins the award. That wouldn’t be surprising, either.
The Liverpool star has developed into the world’s best centre-back since his move to Anfield last year and could become the first defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 to win the Ballon d’Or.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
- Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
- Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
- Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
- Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus)
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
- Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool)
- Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
- Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)
- Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)
- Dusan Tadic (Ajax)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
- Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain)
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)????????????????????????
- Donny van de Beek (Ajax)
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
- Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)
- Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
- Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
- Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
- Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
- Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
- Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
- João Félix (Atletico Madrid)
The winner will be announced at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on December 2.
Other awards that will be announced are the Women’s Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy (Best under-21 player) and the newly introduced Yachine Trophy, which is named after legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin and honours the best ‘keeper of the year.
The 30 nominees for 2019 Ballon d’Or:
Here are our first nominees for the 2019 #ballondor! ⤵️
— #BallondOr (@francefootball) October 21, 2019
Sadio Mané ????????
Sergio Agüero????????
Frenkie De Jong ????????
Hugo Lloris ????????
Dušan Tadić ???????? pic.twitter.com/e7STLVAGfR
Let's continue with the 2019 #ballondor nominees!
— #BallondOr (@francefootball) October 21, 2019
Kylian Mbappé ????????
Trent Alexander-Arnold ????????????????????????????
Donny van de Beek ????????
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ????????
Marc-André ter Stegen ????????
Players already announced > https://t.co/WhEz0voCwh pic.twitter.com/ZQO4eVEtAS