Gianluigi Buffon is Italy’s only representative in the list of candidates for The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 award.
Buffon has been recognised for a 2016 that saw him win another domestic double with Juventus and captain Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
The most-represented team are Real Madrid, whose Champions League triumph last season is marked by five inclusions, followed by Barcelona with four.
Gianluigi Buffon is Italy’s only representative in the list of candidates for The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 award.
Buffon has been recognised for a 2016 that saw him win another domestic double with Juventus and captain Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
The most-represented team are Real Madrid, whose Champions League triumph last season is marked by five inclusions, followed by Barcelona with four.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of Madrid’s five, is also Portugal’s sole representative, in contrast to the four from France, despite their defeat to the Seleccao in the Euro 2016 final.
For 2016, FIFA and France Football are issuing separate awards for the world’s best player, as they did before 2009.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 candidates
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon* (Italy/Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Antoine Griezmann (France/Atletico Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United), Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), N’Golo Kante (France/Leicester City/Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/ Bayern Munich), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Leicester City), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Germany/ Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/ Barcelona), Mesut Ozil (Germany/Arsenal), Dimitri Payet (France/West Ham United), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus/Manchester United), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/ Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (England/Leicester City)