The list of 23 players nominated for the Ballon d’Or was revealed by FIFA, and two Africans made the list: Didier Drogba of Shanghai Shenhua in China and Yaya Touré of Manchester City in England. The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best footballer in the world, and Lionel Messi has won it three times in a row. The winner will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on January 7, 2013. The complete list of nominees includes:
- Sergio Agüero (ARG/Manchester City)
- Mario Balotelli (ITA/Manchester City)
- Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid)
- Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus Turin)
- Sergio Busquets (ESP/FC Barcelona)
- Iker Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid)
- Didier Drogba (CIV/Chelsea, then Shanghai Shenhua)
- Radamel Falcao (COL/Atletico Madrid)
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SUE/Milan AC, then Paris-SG)
- Andrés Iniesta (ESP/FC Barcelona)
- Lionel Messi (AR/ FC Barcelona)
- Manuel Neuer (ALL /Bayern Munich)
- Neymar (BRE/Santos)
- Mesut Özil (ALL/Real Madrid)
- Gerard Piqué (ESP/FC Barcelona)
- Andrea Pirlo (ITA/Juventus Turin)
- Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid)
- Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United)
- Yaya Touré (CIV/Manchester City)
- Robin van Persie (HOL/Arsenal, then Manchester United)
- Xabi Alonso (ESP/Real Madrid)
- Xavi Hernandez (ESP/FC Barcelona)
