Ballon d’Or longlist confirmed with FOURTEEN Prem players, including five from Chelsea but just two from Man Utd

PREMIER LEAGUE players dominate the Ballon d'Or nominee longlist - making up almost HALF of the of the 30 names.

Chelsea and Man City each boast five of the 14 Prem-based stars, with two coming from Manchester United and one from Liverpool and Tottenham.

1

Chelsea stars Cesar Azpilicueta, N'Golo Kante, Romelu Lukaku, Mason Mount and Jorginho - one of the favourites to win it - feature.

City have Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on the list.

Portugual and United team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, Liverpool star Mo Salah and Spurs talisman Harry Kane make up the 14.

Chelsea's Edouard Mendy, Man City's Ederson and Leicester City skipper Kasper Schmeichel have been shortlisted for the Yacine Trophy for best goalkeeper.

Mason Greenwood of United and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka are on the Kopa Trophy list for best young player. England and Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham is also on that list.

The Ballon d'Or is given to the calendar year's best footballer but was cancelled last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Most read in Football

TROY DEENEY

What I saw in tunnel at Anfield proves Spurs have no leaders... they bottled it

FINE WHINE

Sir Alex YAWNS watching Man Utd but fans distracted by who he's sat next to

Man Utd 2 Leicester 1

Maguire's controversial last-gasp winner sends hosts into fifth round

'SO GRATEFUL'

Clive Tyldesley shares photo from hospital bed as he provides health update

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi, who won the men's award in 2019 to add to his collection of six, is the current favourite.

PSG have four on the shortlist, with Messi joined by Gianluigi Donnarumma, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Inter team-mates Nicolas Barella and Lautaro Martinez, Juventus and Italy centre-back pairing Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini and AC Milan's Simon Kjaer all come from Serie A.

LaLiga have five players in Real Madrid pair Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Villareal's Gerard Moreno, Barcelona wonderkid Pedri and Luis Suarez - who fired Atletico Madrid to the title last season after leaving Barca.

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland are the only Bundesliga stars on the list.

⚽ Read our Football news live blog for the very latest rumours, gossip and done deals