Liverpool players dominate Ballon d’Or shortlist

Six Liverpool players were among the first 20 names revealed on the Ballon d’Or shortlist by France Football on Monday evening.

Sadio Mane was one of the nominees announced early in the prolonged process, and was soon joined by Champions League-winning team-mates Alisson Becker and Georginio Wijnaldum.

There was further recognition for the Anfield club too when Virgil Van Dijk and Roberto Firmino were added to the list, and they were soon joined by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

There was further Premier League representation in the form of Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, Tottenham pair Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min, and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Five-times winner Cristiano Ronaldo was also included on what will eventually be a 30-man list, as was his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema and current club colleague Matthijs De Ligt.

Paris St Germain’s World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe also made the cut along with Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Ajax pair Dusan Tadic and Donny Van De Beek, and Bayern Munich’s Poland frontman Robert Lewandowski.