• Ballon d'Or

Rooney only Englishman in Ballon d'Or frame

Wayne Rooney is a lonely figure from England © Getty Images

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Wayne Rooney is the only English player to make the 23-man shortlist for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or, with European champions Barcelona dominating the list with eight squad members in the running. Real Madrid have five nominees.

Lionel Messi, the winner of last year's inaugural award, will be the favourite to take the honour, but he faces competition from Barca team-mates Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Villa, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique and Eric Abidal. Messi, Iniesta and Xavi were named first, second and third for 2010.

Cristiano Ronaldo will also be a strong contender, and he is up alongside his Ream team-mates Iker Casillas, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Mesut Ozil.

Manchester United and England star Rooney is the only Englishman to make the list, with only three other Premier League-based players - Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez and Nani - in contention. Bayern Munich duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller and Inter Milan stars Diego Forlan and Wesley Sneijder are also in the running, while Neymar, of Santos, is the only player outside of Europe to make the list.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho faces a fight to hold onto his FIFA World Coach of the Year prize. Mourinho won a Treble with Inter but Barcelona's Pep Guardiola, who came third, will be the favourite this time around.

FIFA Ballon d'Or shortlist: Eric Abidal (France), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Karim Benzema (France), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Dani Alves (Brazil), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Nani (Portugal), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Gerard Pique (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), David Villa (Spain), Xabi Alonso (Spain), Xavi (Spain).

FIFA World Coach of the Year shortlist: Vicente Del Bosque (Spain/Spain national team), Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United FC), Rudi Garcia (France/Lille OSC), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Barcelona), Jurgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Low (Germany/Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid C.F.), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay/Uruguay national team), Andre Villas-Boas (Portugal/FC Porto, Chelsea FC), Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal FC).

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