2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or: Yaya Touré the Sole African Nominee Among Global Giants
The 23-man shortlist for the prestigious 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or has been unveiled, and only one African player has made the cut: Yaya Touré of Ivory Coast. The Manchester City midfielder, who also appeared in last year’s nominations, remains a standout figure for African football on the global stage.
Despite Touré’s instrumental role in City’s Premier League triumph, he is not considered a front-runner this year. The award is widely expected to come down to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who continue to dominate world football.
However, with 2014 being a World Cup year, German stars have a strong case. A record six Germans feature in the list following their World Cup victory:
Manuel Neuer
Toni Kroos
Thomas Müller
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Philipp Lahm
Mario Götze
🌍 Other Notable Names:
Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba represent France.
James Rodriguez makes his debut after a sensational World Cup.
Eden Hazard, Arjen Robben, Neymar, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are also among the elite contenders.
📅 Key Dates:
December 1, 2014: Final three-man shortlist will be announced.
January 12, 2015: The winner will be revealed at the Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich.
🏆 Full List of 23 Nominees for the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or:
Gareth Bale (Wales)
Karim Benzema (France)
Diego Costa (Spain)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Ángel Di María (Argentina)
Mario Götze (Germany)
Eden Hazard (Belgium)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden)
Andrés Iniesta (Spain)
Toni Kroos (Germany)
Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Thomas Müller (Germany)
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Neymar (Brazil)
Paul Pogba (France)
Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
James Rodríguez (Colombia)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast)
Despite slim chances of winning, Yaya Touré’s presence on the list is a testament to his consistency and dominance, especially in the Premier League and African football.
