Barcelona are represented by Spanish midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi along with Argentine playmaker Lionel Messi, the strong favourite for the award to be handed out on December 21.
Real Madrid are present thanks to the inclusion of Brazilian Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal international who won the award last year when in Manchester United colours.
In alphabetical order, the male nominees are Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Xavi (Spain), while Cristiane (Brazil), Inka Grings (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany) and Kelly Smith (England) will contest the women’s award.
The quintet have emerged from an initial 23-strong shortlist with voting restricted to the coaches and captains of national selections.
According to FIFA, the FIFA World Player Gala 2009 will have a number of exciting new features, including two new awards.
The FIFA/FIFPro World XI will honour the best 11 players of the year as chosen by over 50,000 professional football players from all over the world.
The FIFA Puskás Award, created in honour and in memory of Ferenc Puskás, the captain and star of the Hungarian national team during the 1950s, will be presented to the player – man or woman – who has scored the “most beautiful goal” during the past year.
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