Paris, Dec 7 - Spanish midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi and Argentina's Lionel Messi have been chosen as the candidates for the 2010 Ballon d'Or award as best player of the year.
The trio - all from Spanish champions Barcelona - were announced Monday at the headquarters of the sports daily L'Equipe in Paris after being selected from a shortlist of 23 chosen by football's world governing body FIFA and France Football.
The Ballon d'Or award will for the first time be a combination of the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the France Football Ballon d'Or.
Messi is the current world player of the year after winning the award in late 2009.
The contenders for the women's world player of the year award are Germany's Fatmire Bajramaj and Birgit Prinz and the Brazilian Marta.
The candidates for men's coach of the year are Vicente del Bosque (Spain/Spanish national team), Pep Guardiola (Spain/Barcelona) and Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Inter Milan and Real Madrid).
In the women's coaching category, Maren Meinert (Germany/German U-20 national team) Silvia Neid (Germany/German national team) and Pia Sundhage (Sweden/US national team) are on the final shortlist.
The nominees were confirmed after a poll by the captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football.
The winners will be announced at the first FIFA Ballon d'Or gala as part of a televised ceremony at the Zurich Kongresshaus Jan 10. (dpa)
Similar
US News
- Sun Pharma Gets FDA Nod To Sell Nasal Spray Astelin In US Market
- Bharti Airtel Gets Hold Of 49% Stake In Qualcomm India broadband
- Facebook IPO issue must be reviewed, says U.S. financial regulators
- Brooklyn to investigate witness intimidation in abuse cases
- Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy's & Aurobindo Get USFDA Authorization To Market Generic Cardiac Drug
Belgrade, May 29 : Serbian midfielder Adem Ljajic has been suspended from the national team for refusing to sing the national anthem before his country's friendly against Spain, the Serbian Football Federation announced. 
Rome, May 28 : The captain of the Italian football club Lazio has been arrested amid investigations in connection to match-fixing scandal. 
London, May 28 : Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake has revealed that his friends and family were surprised when he chose the gentleman's game over rugby and boxing as his profession. 
Islamabad, May 28 : Pakistan cricketer Wajahatullah Wasti has said the Twenty20 format has caused a lot of damage to the techniques of opening batsmen. 
Sydney, May 18 : Australian professional motorcycle racer, two-time MotoGP world champion, Casey Stoner, announced that he will retire from Grand Prix racing at the 
Pune, April 30 - Veer Patel of Baroda steered his Honda CRF 250 with much panache to clinch the title in the showpiece Foreign Open class ahead of defending champion Aravind KP in the 2012 National Supercross championship here.