Heroic England trio on Ballon d’Or shortlist | Messi misses out

England’s Euro 2022 winners Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Millie Bright are among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Mead was the top scorer and named player of the tournament as England triumphed on home soil last month.

Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Vivianne Miedema of Arsenal also make the shortlist, along with Barcelona star Alexia Putellas, while the headline from the men’s nominations was the absence of seven-time winner Lionel Messi.

Messi won the prize in 2021 and 2019 – it was not held in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic – but, following his move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentine has been omitted.

Messi’s long-time rival for the Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, is included while English trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Harry Kane also make the 30-strong line-up.

Foden is one of six Manchester City players on the list including new signing Erling Haaland while Liverpool quintet Mohamed Salah, Luiz Diaz, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk and Darwin Nunez – as well as the recently departed Sadio Mane – are also included.

Heung-Min Son joins his strike partner Kane, while the favourite to win for the first time is Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Ballon d’Or Feminin shortlist

Selma Bacha – LyonFridolina Rolfo – BarcelonaVivianne Miedema – ArsenalLucy Bronze – BarcelonaSam Kerr – ChelseaChristiane Endler – LyonLena Oberdorf – WolfsburgCatarina Macario – LyonAlexia Putellas – BarcelonaAlexandra Popp – WolfsburgAitana Bonmati – BarcelonaWendie Renard – LyonAlex Morgan – San Diego WaveBeth Mead – ArsenalAsisat Oshoala – BarcelonaMarie-Antoinette Katoto – PSGMillie Bright – ChelseaTrinity Rodman – Washington SpiritAda Hegerberg – Lyon

Ballon d’Or shortlist

Thibaut Courtois – Real MadirdMohamed Salah – LiverpoolRafael Leao – AC MilanChristopher Nkunku – RB LeipzigJoshua Kimmich – Bayern MunichTrent Alexander-Arnold – LiverpoolVinicius Jr – Real MadridBernardo Silva – Manchester CityLuis Diaz – LiverpoolRobert Lewandowski – BarcelonaRiyad Mahrez – Manchester CityCasemiro – Real MadridHeung-Min Son – TottenhamFabinho – LiverpoolKarim Benzema – Real MadridMike Maignan – AC MilanHarry Kane – TottenhamDarwin Nunez – LiverpoolPhil Foden – Manchester CitySadio Mane – Bayern MunichSebastien Haller – Borussia DortmundLuka Modric – Real MadridAntonio Rudiger – Real MadridCristiano Ronaldo – Manchester UnitedKevin de Bruyne – Manchester CityDusan Vlahovic – JuventusVirgil van Dijk – LiverpoolJoao Cancelo – Manchester CityErling Haaland – Manchester CityKylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain