Ronaldo, Messi And Neuer Nominated For FIFA Ballon d�Or 2014

The contenders for this year�s FIFA Ballon d�Or award for the best player of 2014 and for the FIFA Women�s World Player of the Year 2014 award were announced today. In alphabetical order, the FIFA Ballon d�Or nominees are: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Manuel Neuer (Germany), while Nadine Kessler (Germany), Marta (Brazil) and Abby Wambach (USA) will contest the women�s award. The candidates for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men�s Football and FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women�s Football awards were also announced. In alphabetical order, the contenders are: Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid CF), Joachim Loew (Germany/German national team) and Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico de Madrid) for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men�s Football award, and Ralf Kellermann (Germany/VfL Wolfsburg), Maren Meinert (Germany/Germany U-19 and U-20 national teams) and Norio Sasaki (Japan/Japan national team) for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women�s Football award. All the nominees were confirmed after a voting process which was open to the captains and head coaches of the men�s and women�s national teams of the 209 member associations as well as to international media representatives selected by FIFA and France Football voted for candidates. In addition, the three nominees for the FIFA Pusk�s Award for the �most beautiful goal of the year� were announced. The three final goals are: Stephanie Roche - 20 October 2013, Peamount United v Wexford Youths, BEWNL (Ireland Republic); James Rodriguez - 28 June 2014, Colombia v Uruguay, 2014 FIFA World Cup�; Robin van Persie - 13 June 2014, Spain v Netherlands, 2014 FIFA World Cup�. All the awards will be presented at the FIFA Ballon d�Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on 12 January 2015