Ballon d'Or organizers France Football have explained why Eden Hazard, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez did not merit nominations for the coveted award.
France Football has blamed Eden Hazard's 'insipid' form for much of 2016 for his omission from the Ballon d'Or shortlist, while highlighting a dip in form for the notable absence of Arsenal duo Ozil and Sanchez.
The prestigious award for the best player in the world is back under the sole control of France Football following a split with FIFA and the publication identified a group of players it classed as being close to its 30-man shortlist.
Hazard has shown signs of rediscovering his best form under Antonio Conte at Chelsea this season after the Belgium playmaker endured a wretched time with club and country for most of the year.
'Seeing Eden Hazard away from this list can be an anomaly.Â
'There is nothing in view of [the] insipid performances of the Belgian during most of 2016,' said France Football.
'After 22nd place in 2013, 21st in 2014 and a very nice eighth position last year, Hazard restarts [from] zero. Meanwhile Ozil was surprisingly left out while organizers say Sanchez almost made it into the list. Mail Online
Ballon d'Or 30 player shortlist
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Diego Godin (Atlético Madrid), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli/Juventus), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG/Manchester United) Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Neymar (Barcelona), Dimitri Payet (West Ham United), Pepe (Real Madrid), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Rui Patricio (Sporting Portugal), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich).
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