Glaring Man Utd omission from 30-man Ballon d’Or list as 12 Premier League stars in running

Twelve Premier League players have been named in the 30-man shortlist for the 2023 Ballon d’Or with one notable Manchester United omission.

England’s Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane and seven Manchester City players are on the list, but there is surprisingly no place for United frontman Marcus Rashford.

The England forward scored 30 goals and laid on 11 assists last season but that was not good enough to earn a place among the 30 players selected.

City’s Erling Haaland is one of 12 Premier League players nominated.

Argentina legend Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favourite to win the award and make it a record eight Ballons d’Or after winning the World Cup in Qatar.

Midfielder Bellingham and striker Kane both moved clubs this summer – to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.

Treble-winning City are also represented by Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Josko Gvardiol.

Croatia defender Gvardiol was not at City last season but Ilkay Gundogan, now at Barcelona, was and he also makes the shortlist.

The other Premier League nominees are Arsenal stars Saka and Martin Odegaard, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, United keeper Andre Onana and Aston Villa stopper Emiliano Martinez.

There are two players who left European clubs this summer – Messi, who joined Inter Miami from PSG, and current holder Karim Benzema, who left Real Madrid for Saudi side Al-Ittihad.

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Ronaldo snubbed for first time since 2003

Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr, was not nominated for the first time since 2003.

In terms of the Kopa Trophy, the award for the best young player, Bellingham is nominated again, along with new United forward Rasmus Hojlund.

HERE ARE ALL THE BALLON D’OR NOMINEES! 🌕✨#ballondor pic.twitter.com/hg1ZByzhDV

— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023

Arsenal and England’s Aaron Ramsdale is one of four Premier League goalkeepers on the 10-man shortlist for the Yashin Trophy, for the world’s best keeper.

Onana, Manchester City’s Ederson and Aston Villa’s Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina, are the others.

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