Ancelotti and Drogba up for FIFA awards

[BlueLion. 21,491]

English players paid the price for their dreadful performance at the World Cup as they were completely overlooked in the shortlist for the Fifa Ballon d'Or.

Instead, world champions Spain dominated the contenders as seven of their finals squad were included among the nominees for the prestigious award.

The winners will be revealed in Zurich on 10th January, with Andres Iniesta, who netted the winning goal in the World Cup final in July, on the shortlist alongside Barcelona team-mates Xavi, Carles Puyol and David Villa.

Spain captain Iker Casillas and his Real Madrid colleague Xabi Alonso were also included, along with Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Unprecedented

Fabregas was one of three Premier League players on the 23-man list of nominees. The others were Chelsea's Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Sunderland's Ghana frontman Asamoah Gyan.

Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi and Brazil right-back Daniel Alves, Atletico Madrid forward Diego Forlan - who scored five goals at the World Cup and received the Golden Ball award - and Real Madrid pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil made up 11 players nominated from La Liga.

Messi is the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and Fifa World Player of the Year, but the awards have now been merged, so the best player in the world will be recognised by a single accolade - the Fifa Ballon d'Or.

Inter Milan quartet Samuel Eto'o, Julio Cesar, Maicon and Wesley Sneijder were also included after winning an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League treble last term.

Former Inter boss Jose Mourinho, who is now at Real Madrid, headed the candidates for the inaugural World Coach of the Year award.

World Player of the Year nominees:

Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Julio Cesar (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

World Coach of the Year nominees:

Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Vicente del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona), Joachim Low (Germany), Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), Louis Van Gaal (Bayern Munich), Bert van Marwijk (Holland) and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

From Sky Sports

[Rambo 1,729]

Big achievement if Drogba wins it but since it's organized by FIFA he's probably just glad he got nominated.

[Wilson 358]

Can't believe Terry, Lampard, Essien or Anelka are not there!

[Swoopz 183]

Can't believe Terry, Lampard, Essien or Anelka are not there!

Why would Anelka and Essien be on that list? Anelka was in Drogba's shadow all last season and had a horrific world cup. Essien was injured for both the season and world cup. Let's not play favorites here..

[kwylino 329]

Drogba wont win it hes not fifas golden boy

The top 3 will be

1 Messi

2 Rooney (For Marketing Reasons to promote united and fifa 11)

3 Iniesta (Above but not for fifa 11 But for spain)

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Ancelotti has not got a chance, Jose won the Triple with Inter and Vincent Del Bosque won the world cup.

[Wilson 358]

Anelka has been great for Chelsea, who cares about the world cup. He has been consistent unlike Rooney who had one great season. Essien has been better or equal to any other midfielder on that list. Maybe not Iniesta or Xavi. Bear in mind he missed the world cup and was injured for Chelsea.

[boshman 1,073]

Drogba wont win it hes not fifas golden boy

The top 3 will be

1 Messi

2 Rooney (For Marketing Reasons to promote united and fifa 11)

3 Iniesta (Above but not for fifa 11 But for spain)

Rooney isn't even nominated. lol!

No question at all that Messi will win for me.

Carlo must have a decent chance of winning the manager award after what he achieved last season but as he's manager of Chelsea i'll be surprised if he does.

[eldo 868]

Sneijder should win it. Reasons why are helping his club in domestic competitions and in CL, helping his country to reach finals of WC.

Messi is another possible choice. Xavi, absolutly not. Iniesta more no than yes.

[Wilson 358]

Xavi had a good season in La Liga last year.

[kwylino 329]

Rooney isn't even nominated. lol!

No question at all that Messi will win for me.

Carlo must have a decent chance of winning the manager award after what he achieved last season but as he's manager of Chelsea i'll be surprised if he does.

Mistake no 2 I wrote that when i forgot

Maybe im too used to fifa making money out of promoting man utd