Ballon d'Or organisers explain Lionel Messi shorlist snub, defend Cristiano Ronaldo inclusion
Lionel Messi was excluded from the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist because of «new criteria» for the awarding of football’s most prestigious individual prize, according to event organisers France Football. Seven-time winner Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar weren’t included when the list of candidates was released on Friday, but Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo earned a place.


