FIFA releases 23-man short list for ''The Best FIFA Men's Player 2016 award

World Football governing body FIFA has released a 23-man shortlist for ''The Best FIFA Men's Player 2016 award,'' with favorites Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi leading other contenders which includes three players from Leicester City's title-winning squad.

Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and former Leicester City player now with Chelsea, N'Golo Kante, have all been named on the shortlist in recognition of their roles in Leicester City's shock Premier League title win last season. 

Portugal captain Ronaldo who enjoyed success in the Champions League with Real Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal this year is joined by other Real Madrid teammates including Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, while current Ballon d'Or winner Barcelona's Messi, is joined on the list by fellow teammates like Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta.

Also making the list is Atletico Madrid's striker Antoine Griezmann.

Players making the list from the Primer League includes Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, who both missed out on a place on the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist, West Ham's Dimitri Payet, Manchester United's duo of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.

FIFA who earlier this week announced that it has re-branded the FIFA award, the "The Best" awards which will be decided by a combination of votes from national coaches and captains, journalists and fans says voting for the player and coach awards, in both men's and women's football, closes on Nov. 22.

The 23-man list is expected to be reduced to three candidates on December 2, 2016 ahead of the January, 9, 2017 ceremony.

The full list

Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), 
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), 
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), 
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid),
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), 
Antoine Griezmann (France/Atletico Madrid), 
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United), 
Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), 
N'Golo Kante (France/Leicester City/Chelsea), 
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid),
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), 
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Leicester City), 
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona), 
Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid), 
Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), 
Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), 
Mesut Ozil (Germany/Arsenal), 
Dimitri Payet (France/West Ham United), 
Paul Pogba (France/Juventus/Manchester United), 
Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), 
Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), 
Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), 
Jamie Vardy (England/Leicester City).

Source: ESPNFC