Messi, Ronaldo and some bloke from QPR... the 59 players on the Ballon d'Or long list
Football's leading stars have been named in the race to win the game's most coveted individual prize, but there are plenty of surprises on this year's list.
While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will once again resume their personal battle to take home the award, the list also includes some names who barely play top-flight football.
Bournemouth's Christian Atsu, who failed to break into the first team at Everton last season, is on the list, as is QPR midfielder Massimo Luongo.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will once again battle it out to be named the world's best player
QPR midfielder Massimo Luongo, who spent last year at Swindon in League One, is a shock inclusion
Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the way on the 59-strong list, with Wales star Gareth Bale and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez joining Messi and Ronaldo, who have shared the award between them every year since 2008.
Six members of the Juventus side that defied expectations to make the Champions League final are included in the list, while there are five players from Bayern Munich's Bundesliga winners.
However, despite his heroics in Juve's magical season, which also saw them claim a domestic double, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is a surprise omission from the long-list.
However, the biggest shocks come not at the pinnacle of European football, but from the middle of the Championship table.
Barcelona's front three of Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar are all included, along with four team-mates
Wales star Gareth Bale is on the list along with Ronaldo and five other Real Madrid stars
QPR midfielder Luongo, who spent last year playing in League One for Swindon Town, makes the list thanks to his exploits in the Asia Cup in January.
The Australian was named best player as his team went on to win the competition on home soil.
Leicester striker Shinji Okazaki, who impressed for Japan and Mainz last season, also makes the list after a strong continental championship.
It is a similar story for Atsu, who started just one league game in his loan spell at Everton last season, and is yet to play in the league for newly promoted Bournemouth, but was player of the tournament at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Swansea City's Andre Ayew is also on the list thanks to his performances at that tournament, while Arsenal's David Ospina, who catastrophically dropped a corner over his own goal-line on Tuesday against Olympiacos, is presumably included for his excellent displays in the Copa America.
Despite barely playing for Everton or Bournemouth, Christian Atsu's performances for Ghana see him make it
English representation is limited to just two men, with Wayne Rooney joined by Tottenham's Harry Kane, after his breakthrough season last year.
Manchester City are the best represented English club, with three members of last year's squad and two new arrivals, Kevin de Bruyne and Nicolas Otamendi.
However, somewhat bafflingly one of those five is Wilfried Bony, who has struggled to make any sort of impact since arriving from Swansea in January, but did help Ivory Coast to win the Cup of Nations, alongside Yaya Toure, who is also nominated.
Chelsea have four players nominated, including Premier League player of the year Eden Hazard and controversial striker Diego Costa.
Wilfried Bony has enjoyed a difficult first nine months with Manchester City, but makes the long list
The long-list of 59, from which a 23-man shortlist will be chosen in December, was compiled by France Football, the traditional hosts of the award, and FIFA's Football Committee, which includes the likes of UEFA President Michel Platini, as well as Franz Beckenbauer and Pele.
Premier League chief Richard Scudamore is also on the committee.
The final vote will be by every international manager and captain - last year Roy Hodgson raised eyebrows by voting for Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, who is once again on this year's long-list.
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