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Ballon d’Or organisers France Football have revealed why Neymar was left off their 30-man shortlist for the award.
The Brazilian was among the highest profile omission from the list, along with last year’s winner Luka Modric and Harry Kane .
And France Football have now revealed the reasons behind their decision not to shortlist the 27-year-old after what they described as a “black year”.
It is the first time since 2010 that the Paris Saint-Germain forward has failed to make the shortlist.
The organising body has revealed eight reasons for his exclusion.
Show all 30 1 /30Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Joao Felix (500/1) The supremely talented youngster has made a bright start at Atletico Madrid.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Marquinhos (500/1) The Brazilian is one of the best defenders in the world and helped PSG to yet another title.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Riyad Mahrez (500/1) A strange inclusion, considering he was not always starting games for Manchester City last season, albeit an undoubtedly talented player.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Kalidou Koulibaly (500/1) A rock at the back for Napoli and one of Europe’s most well-rounded defenders. Has been repeatedly linked with big money moves to the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30-. Son Heung-min (500/1) One of the Premier League's best forwards over the past two years who helped propel Tottenham to the Champions League final.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Trent Alexander-Arnold (500/1 Trent Alexander-Arnold has been a revelation, creating goals regularly from right-back in a stunning season.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Marc-Andre ter Stegen (500/1) The goalkeeper has become one of the best in the world at Barcelona.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Georginio Wijnaldum (500/1) The midfielder had an impressive campaign in the centre of Liverpool's team as they won the Champions League.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-30. Donny Van de Beek (500/1 The Ajax midfielder had a supreme season as the club won the Eredevisie and reached the Champions League semi-final.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 21. Karim Benzema (400/1) Still scoring regularly for Real Madrid, a player who has never got the credit he deserves.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-20. Robert Lewandowski (250/1) Still maintaining a relentless goalscoring streak at 31 years old and thriving in a leadership role in a Bayern side in transition. Perhaps Europe's most prolific striker and capable of scoring every type of goal.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-20. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (250/1) The Arsenal striker has been in consistent goalscoring form since joining the Gunners.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-20. Hugo Lloris (250/1) No, we're not sure why either.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-20. Dusan Tadic (250/1) Shining as a false nine and delivering insane production for Dutch giants Ajax. Maybe the key piece in their Champions League run, 47 goals and 34 assists since the start of last season.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-20. Antoine Griezmann (250/1) As consistent as ever for Atletico Madrid before his summer move to Barcelona, where he has started the season impressively, scoring four goals and providing three assists in eight La Liga appearances.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 15. Sergio Aguero (200/1) Sergio Aguero remains one of the most potent goalscorers in world football, and was Manchester City's top scorer as they won the Premier League.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-14. Roberto Firmino (150/1) Selfless at times but also key in sprinkling the final touches to Liverpool's moves when necessary. Gorgeous technique and the movement to enable Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to thrive.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-14. Matthijs De Ligt (150/1) A dominant centre-back with quality to match, though the transition at Juventus has so far been tough. Yet he led a young Ajax team superbly and forms one half of the finest centre-back partnership in international football alongside Virgil van Dijk.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-14. Frenkie De Jong (150/1) Maybe the finest midfielder of the last 12 months, fearless on the ball for Ajax, no matter the moment, while also fundamental to a resurgent Netherlands. Barcelona have the premier midfielder of the next decade.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-11. Kylian Mbappe (66/1) The magnetism of Mbappe hasn't faded since France's World Cup victory, scoring 33 goals in 29 games as PSG stormed to the Ligue 1 title.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-11. Eden Hazard (66/1) In a topsy-turvy final season at Chelsea, under Maurizio Sarri, Hazard carried an often chaotic side on his shoulders, scoring 21 goals and adding 17 assists in all competitions as the Blues won the Europa League, before finally sealing his summer move to Real Madrid.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-9. Raheem Sterling (50/1) Man City's standout player in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne, scoring 17 goals and adding 12 assists as Pep Guardiola's side clinched a third Premier League title, as well as an FA and EFL Cup.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-9. Kevin De Bruyne (50/1) Injuries have stemmed his progress, but he is back now and hitting his previous heights. A devastating player able to break games open or control them.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 7. Bernardo Silva (40/1) Integral to Manchester City, having helped fill the void left by the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while also an inspiration for Portugal to win the Nations League. A complete player who refuses to hide in the big moments and always makes his teammates better.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-6. Mohamed Salah (20/1) Relentlessly effective cutting in off the right-wing, Salah scored 27 goals in all competitions as Liverpool lifted the Champions League and chased down Man City to the final game of the Premier League season.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-6. Sadio Mane (20/1) The understated partner to Mohamed Salah, yet quietly the more impressive over the 2018/19 season. Mane scored 22 goals in the Premier League, starred in Liverpool's Champions League win, and guided Senegal to the final of the African Cup of Nations.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated T-6. Alisson (20/1) The Brazilian established himself as arguably the best ball-playing goalkeeper in the world, making a series of crucial saves - none more so than against Napoli - as Liverpool clinched a sixth European Cup.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 3. Cristiano Ronaldo (18/1) The fears over whether Ronaldo's talents would fade beyond Madrid were quickly extinguished, scoring 21 goals in 31 games as Juventus cantered to the Serie A title, before inspiring Portugal's Nations League victory in the summer.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 2. Lionel Messi (7/4) As mercurial and peerless as ever, Messi scored 36 goals and added 15 assists as Barcelona clinched La Liga, as well as 12 goals in 10 games during the club's run to the Champions League semi-final.
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Ballon d'Or contenders ranked and rated 1. Virgil Van Dijk (2/5) The undisputed talisman of Liverpool's Champions League win, and the club's relentless title charge. The centre-back played every league game and lifted a formidable side like few other players in Europe have managed.
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They are:
January 23 – Metatarsal injury March 6 – Abusing match official after Man Utd match April 27 – Pushing a supporter June 6 – Ankle injury ahead of Copa America August 9 – Cleared of rape allegation Transfer window – Failed move to Barcelona September 14 – Jeered by PSG fans October 13 – Another injury on international duty Neymar was absent with that metatarsal injury as PSG exited the Champions League to Manchester United in the Round of 16, though he did help his side win the French title.
He scored 23 goals in 28 games for PSG last season, and has begun this with four goals in five Ligue 1 games.
Former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi is among the favourites for the award, presented annually to the best male football player since 1956, along with Liverpool centre-back Virgil Van Dijk and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo.]
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