Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo make Ballon d'Or shortlist; Carli Lloyd is finalist

By foxsports
Published

ZURICH --

Neymar has made the three-man Ballon D'Or shortlist for the first time, alongside Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and title holder Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo has won the world's top player award for the last two years after ending Messi's four-year winning streak.

The winner is announced at a gala in Zurich on Jan. 11 when a series of other awards are handed out.

The coach of the year shortlist features one from a national team - Chile's Copa America winner Jorge Sampaoli - alongside Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola and Barcelona's Luis Enrique.

American forward Carli Lloyd is among the finalists for FIFA Women's Player of the Year after scoring a hat trick that led the United States to victory over Japan in the World Cup final.

Japan's Aya Miyama and Germany's Celia Sasic are the other finalists announced Monday. Winners will be announced Jan. 11.

Jill Ellis of the U.S. is a finalist for Women's Coach of the Year along with Mark Sampson and Norio Sasaki of Japan.