Yaya Touré among the 23 candidates for FIFA Ballon d’Or

Reigning African Footballer of the Year , Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast and Manchester City has been named among the 23 footballers from which the 2013 FIFA World Player of the Year will be chosen on 13 January 2014. The midfielder is the only African player to make the list.

The winners will be announced on 13 January, 2014 in Zurich.

Fifa world men’s player of the year shortlist:Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain), Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St-Germain), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Neymar (Barcelona), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Thiago Silva (Paris St-Germain), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Robin Van Persie (Manchester United), Xavi (Barcelona).

Fifa coach of the year shortlist: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid CF), Rafael Benítez (Napoli), Antonio Conte (Juventus), Vicente Del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United’s former coach), Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich’s former coach), Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

Source: CAFonline.com