Ballon d’Or 2017 start time, location, shortlist: Can Ronaldo match Messi's five awards?
THE Ballon d’OR is back and here’s everything you need to know.
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The Ballon d’Or is the award given to the best player in the world.
This year 30 players have been nominated although it is likely to go to one of the big two.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only winners of the award in its current form.
You need to go back to 2007 to find a different winner when Kaka topped Ronaldo and Messi - who finished second and third respectively.
And the pair are expected to head the votes again this year with Ronaldo winning the Champions League and La Liga double in May.
When is the 2017 Ballon d’Or awards?
The 62nd edition Ballon d'Or will be held on Thursday, December 7.
The ceremony kicks-off at 6.45pm GMT, 7.45pm local time.
Where is the 2017 Ballon d’Or awards?
The ceremony is held in Paris.
Who will present the Ballon d’Or?
Former Tottenham and Newcastle winger David Ginola will present the awards ceremony.
Who will win the Ballon d’Or?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the big favourite after another stunning year.
If he is victorious he will join Lionel Messi on five Ballon d’Ors.
Similarly if Messi comes second, he will join Ronaldo on five second places.
Last year Neymar came third and he may do again.
How do you win the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is held by French Football magazine and they ask 173 journalists from all over the world to vote.
The full Ballon d’Or shortlist
Neymar - Paris Saint-Germain
N'Golo Kante - Chelsea
Luka Modric - Real Madrid
Paulo Dybala - Juventus
Marcelo - Real Madrid
Edin Dzeko - Roma
Harry Kane - Tottenham
David De Gea - Manchester United
Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich
Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City
Karim Benzema - Real Madrid
Pierre-Emerick Aubemyang - Borussia Dortmund
Edinson Cavani - Paris Saint-Germain
Philippe Coutinho - Liverpool
Luis Suarez - Barcelona
Jan Oblak - Atletico Madrid
Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid
Dries Mertens - Napoli
Radamel Falcao - Monaco
Sadio Mane - Liverpool
Gianluigi Buffon - Juventus
Antoine Griezmann - Atletico Madrid
Toni Kroos - Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid
Eden Hazard - Chelsea
Leonardo Bonucci - AC Milan
Isco - Real Madrid
Lionel Messi - Barcelona
Mats Hummels - Bayern Munich
Kylian Mbappe - Paris Saint-Germain
