Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo, Messi: Full List of Ballon d’Or Nominees

Modric and Kylian Mbappe are in the running to break Messi’s and Ronaldo’s 10-year dominance of the Ballon d’Or.

From left, France’s Mbappe, England’s Harry Kane, Croatia’s Luka Modric and Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne.

(Photo: The Quint)

Luka Modric and Kylian Mbappe are in the running to break Lionel Messi's and Cristiano Ronaldo's 10-year dominance of the Ballon d'Or.

The World Cup finalist and champion, respectively, are nominees for this year's award, alongside Brazilian forward Marta. For the first time, France Football magazine is awarding the individual trophy to a woman and a man on 3 December in Paris.

The last player to win the trophy before Ronaldo and Messi took over was Kaka in 2007. This year, Ronaldo and Messi have not been as dominant, leaving the door open for a new winner.

Marta features among the 15 women's nominees unveiled on Monday, 8 October, along with Lyon players Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany.

Mbappe won the World Cup for France in Russia, where he became the first teenager to score in a final since Pele in 1958. France beat Modric's Croatia 4-2 in the final, and the latter was voted player of the tournament.

Last month, the technically gifted Modric won FIFA's best player award, and is regarded as the front-runner for the Ballon d'Or.

The France Football award merged with FIFA's player of the year from 2010-15, but they split two years ago.

In addition to guiding Croatia to the World Cup final, Modric also won the Champions league with Real Madrid.

In addition to guiding Croatia to the World Cup final, Modric also won the Champions league with Real Madrid.(Photo: AP)

Mbappe also helped Paris Saint-Germain to a domestic treble last season.

Ronaldo and Messi are also among the 30 male nominees. They have shared the past 10 Ballon d’Or trophies, winning five times each.

Antoine Griezmann, Neymar, Gareth Bale, Mohamed Salah, and Sergio Aguero are also listed. Bale scored with a bicycle kick for Madrid in the Champions League final, while Salah enjoyed a breathtaking first season with Liverpool, bagging 32 goals in the English Premier League.

Among prominent names who did not make the cut was PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who finished fourth last year but was penalised by Italy's absence from the World Cup.

Men's Nominees

1. Sergio Aguero
2. Alisson
3. Gareth Bale
4. Karim Benzema
5. Edinson Cavani
6. Thibaut Courtois
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
8. Kevin De Bruyne
9. Roberto Firmino
10. Diego Godin
11. Antoine Griezmann
12. Eden Hazard
13. Isco
14. Harry Kane
15. N'Golo Kante
16. Hugo Lloris
17. Mario Mandzukic
18. Sadio Mane
19. Marcelo
20. Kylian Mbappe
21. Lionel Messi
22. Luka Modric
23. Neymar
24. Jan Oblak
25. Paul Pogba
26. Ivan Rakitic
27. Mohamed Salah
28. Sergio Ramos
29. Luis Suarez
30. Raphael Varane

Women's Nominees

1. Lucy Bronze
2. Pernille Harder
3. Ada Hegerberg
4. Amandine Henry
5. Lindsay Horan
6. Fran Kirby
7. Sam Kerr
8. Saki Kumagai
9. Amel Majri
10. Dzsenifer Maroszan
11. Marta
12. Lieke Martens
13. Megan Rapinoe
14. Wendie Renard
15. Christine Sinclair.