Lionel Messi mising as 2022 Ballon d’Or nominees are released

Lionel Messi mising as 30 man list of nominees for the 2022 Ballon d’Or award is released with 3 African players on list.

While Nigerian own Asisat Oshoala is nominated in women category.

Here is the list below:

1. Thibaut Courtois (BEL, Real Madrid)

2. Rafael Leao (POR, AC Milan)

3. Mohamed Salah (EGY, Liverpool)

4. Joshua Kimmich (GER, Bayern Munich)

5. Christopher Nkunku (FRA, RB Leipzig)

6. Trent Alexander-Arnold (ANG, Liverpool)

7. Robert Lewandowski (POL, Bayern Munich then FC Barcelona)

8. Bernardo Silva (POR, Manchester City)

9. Vinicius Junior (BRE, Real Madrid)

10. Luis Diaz (COL, FC Porto then Liverpool)

11. Karim Benzema (FRA, Real Madrid)

12. Fabinho (BRE, Liverpool)

13. Riyad Mahrez (ALG, Manchester City)

14. Heung-min Son (CDS, Tottenham)

15. Casemiro (BRE, Real Madrid)

16. Phil Foden (ENG, Manchester City)

17. Harry Kane (ENG, Tottenham)

18. Sadio Mané (SEN, Liverpool then Bayern Munich),

19. Darwin Nunez (URU, Benfica then Liverpool)

20. Mike Maignan (FRA, AC Milan)

21. Kevin De Bruyne (BEL, Manchester City)

22. Sébastien Haller (CIV, Ajax then Borussia Dortmund)

23. Luka Modric (CRO, Real Madrid)

24. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR, Manchester United)

25. Antonio Rüdiger (GER, Chelsea then Real Madrid)

26. Joao Cancelo (POR, Manchester City)

27. Erling Haaland (NOR, Borussia Dortmund then Manchester City)

28. Kylian Mbappé (FRA, PSG)

29. Virgil Van Dijk (HOL, Liverpool)

30. Dusan Vlahovic (SER, Fiorentina then Juventus).