Balotelli on Ballon shortlist

Balotelli is joined by Manchester City teammates Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure along with Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

There is no place for his City teammates Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart or David SIlva.

Didier Drogba is the only Chelsea player from their Champions League-winning side to make the list.

There are 11 players in total from Real Madrid and Barcelona, with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi - who has won the award in the last two seasons - expected to battle it out for the gong.

Meanwhile, Roberto Di Matteo, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini are among a shortlist of 10 in the frame for the coach of the year award.

Vicente del Bosque, Pep Guardiola, Jupp Heynckes, Jurgen Klopp, Joachim Low, Jose Mourinho and Cesare Prandelli have also been credited for their good work over the past 12 months.

The full shortlist:

Sergio Agero (Argentina & Manchester City)

Mario Balotelli (Ital y & Manchester City)

Karim Benzema (France & Real Madrid)

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)

Sergio Busquets (Spain & Barcelona)

Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea & Shanghai Shenhua)

Radamel Falcao (Colombia & Atltico Madrid)

Zlatan Ibrahimovi (Sweden, AC Milan & Paris St Germain)

Andrs Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)

Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)

Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)

Neymar (Brazil & Santos)

Mesut zil (Germany & Real Madrid)

Gerard Piqu (Spain & Barcelona)

Andrea Pirlo (Italy & Juventus)

Sergio Ramos (Spain & Real Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)

Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)

Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal & Manchester United)

Xabi Alonso (Spain & Real Madrid)

Xavi Hernndez (Spain & Barcelona)< /p>