Ballon d'Or Contenders

FIFA unveils shortlist of 23 candidates for this year's Ballon d'Or

Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time winner Lionel Messi are among 23 players on FIFA's shortlist for this year's award honouring the world's top player.

The list was compiled by the FIFA Football Committee with the help of France Football. It will later be trimmed to three finalists, with the winner announced at a ceremony in January.

Messi won the award four straight years from 2009-2012, while Ronaldo won it in 2008 and 2013.
The award was presented by solely by France Football until 2009, and the news outlet joined with FIFA's Player of the Year Award for the 2010 edition.

The shortlist:

Gareth Bale, Wales, Real Madrid
Karim Benzema, France, Real Madrid
Diego Costa, Spain, Chelsea
Thibaut Courtois, Belgium, Chelsea
Angel Di Maria, Argentina, Manchester United
Mario Gotze, Germany, Bayern Munich
Eden Hazard, Belgium, Chelsea
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden, Paris Saint-Germain
Andres Iniesta, Spain, Barcelona
Toni Kroos, Germany, Real Madrid
Philipp Lahm, Germany, Bayern Munich
Javier Mascherano, Argentina, Barcelona
Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
Thomas Muller, Germany, Bayern Munich
Manuel Neuer, Germany, Bayern Munich
Neymar, Brazil, Barcelona
Paul Pogba, France, Juventus
Sergio Ramos, Spain, Real Madrid
Arjen Robben, Netherlands, Bayern Munich
James Rodriguez, Colombia, Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany, Bayern Munich
Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast, Manchester City

 

Senzo Meyiwa (South africa's Captain) Murdered

South Africa shocked by murder of national soccer captain

South Africa's national soccer goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa has been shot dead by burglars during a break-in, a killing that shocked the country and turned the spotlight once again on gun violence here.
At an emotional news conference on Monday, Meyiwa's colleagues paid tribute to the 27-year-old, who was hit by a single round in the chest on Sunday night as he confronted two intruders at the home of actress and singer Kelly Khumalo.
Meyiwa, who was shot in Vosloorus township southeast of Johannesburg, was dead on arrival at hospital, police said.
His death highlighted the problem of gun violence in South Africa only days after Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was jailed for five years for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year.
This weekend's Johannesburg derby between Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates - the club Meyiwa joined as a 13-year-old and ended up leading - was postponed as a mark of respect. The derby is usually played in front of 90,000 fans.
"Don't think such a good man as Senzo can go and vanish. His spirit will live," said Shakes Mashaba, coach of the Bafana Bafana national side, tears streaming down his cheeks and his voice quavering with emotion. "He would always be the leader."
Even though South Africa's murder rate has been gradually dropping, it remains one of the world's most violent countries, with police recording more than 17,000 murders last year, or 31 per 100,000 people - seven times the rate in the United States.

Transfer News : Dani Alves agrees Manchester United Switch

 Dani Alves to Manchester United

Dani Alves has agreed to join Manchester United on free transfer as his contract with Spanish giants Expire next Season .

Dani Alves will make his long awaited switch to the Premier League at the end of the season, with an agreement already reached to join Louis Van Gaal's Manchester United.
The Brazilian's contract is set to expire next summer, and with no extension talks in place - Alves looks set to make his Old Trafford switch .

The Barcelona full-back is still a mainstay of the Luis Enrique's starting-eleven, but it appears this will be his final fling for the club he's made 193 appearances for.

The Brazilian's contract is set to expire next summer, and with no extension talks in place it looks as if Barca will wash their hands of the 31-year-old.
Rafael is United's current first-choice right-back, but will surely be displaced should Alves join Louis van Gaal's United revolution.

Latest reports indicate that Barcelona want to sign versatile Colombian star Juan Cuadrado, who frequently operates as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation with his national side.