Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané have been named on a 30-man list of nominees for the 2018 Ballon d’Or published by France Football magazine on Monday.
Like in 2016 (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Riyad Mahrez) and in 2017 (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sadio Mané), the African continent will have just two representatives but with a slim hope of finishing in the top three, considering the woeful campaigns of African teams at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Salah and Mané owe their nomination largely to Liverpool’s sparkling campaign in the 2018 UEFA Champions League, whose final they lost to Real Madrid 3-1.
Salah scored 32 goals in the 2017 /2018 season and won the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) player of the year award.
Mané, on the other hand, scored 18 goals in 42 matches during the season, including Liverpool’s consolation in the UEFA Champions League final.
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced on December 3 after votes from 176 journalists across the globe.
Full list
Sergio Aguero (ARG / Manchester City)
Alisson (BRA / Liverpool)
Gareth Bale (WAL / Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (FRA / Real Madrid)
Edinson Cavani (URU / PSG)
Thibaut Courtois (BEL / Chelsea)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR / Juventus )
Kevin De Bruyne (BEL / Manchester City)
Roberto Firmino (BRA / Liverpool)
Diego Godin (URU / Atletico Madrid)
Antoine Griezmann (FRA / Atletico Madrid)
Eden Hazard (BEL / Chelsea)
Isco (SPA / Real Madrid)
Harry Kane (ENG / Tottenham)
N’Golo Kanté (FRA / Chelsea)
Hugo Lloris (FRA / Tottenham)
Mario Mandzukic (CRO / Juventus Turin)
Sadio Mané (SEN / Liverpool)
Marcelo (BRA / Real Madrid)
Kylian Mbappé (FRA / PSG)
Lionel Messi (ARG / FC Barcelona)
Luka Modric (CRO / Real Madrid)
Neymar (BRA / PSG)
Jan Oblak (SLO / Atletico Madrid)
Paul Pogba (FRA / Manchester United)
Ivan Rakitic (CRO / FC Barcelona)
Mohamed Salah (EGY / Liverpool)
Sergio Ramos (SPA / Real Madrid)
Luis Suarez (URU / FC Barcelona)
Raphaal Varane (FRA / Real Madrid)
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