FIFA announce 23 players The nominees for the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015.
Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, who has won the award for the past two years, is joined by teammates Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez.
And Barcelona's attacking triumvirate of Messi -- who is a four-time winner -- Neymar and Suarez are listed along with fellow Blaugrana stars Andres Iniesta, Javier Mascherano and Ivan Rakitic. With six, Barca have the most players nominated.
It means the two Spanish giants between them provide almost half the 23-man shortlist.
Bayern Munich also have five players -- Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben and Arturo Vidal.
Five Premier League stars make the list, headed by Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez after he helped Chile to Copa America glory on home soil in the summer. PFA Players' Player of the Year Eden Hazard is the only representative from Premier League champions Chelsea.
Manchester City have three players named: Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne.
Juventus' midfielder Paul Pogba is the only player from Serie A -- though Vidal played the first half of the year with Juve, with Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic completing the 23.
Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are both on a 10-man shortlist for the coach of the year award, alongside Barcelona's Treble-winning coach Luis Enrique and Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola.
Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli is the only national team coach on the list, which also includes Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri, Sevilla's Unai Emery, Laurent Blanc of PSG, Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti, who left Real Madrid in the summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or in January.
The final vote for the award will be made by the captains and head coaches of each men's national team as well as by international media representatives selected by French publication France Football.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Zurich on Jan. 11, 2016.
These 23 players (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015.
Full list of Ballon d'Or noiminees:
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
Yaya Toure (Cote d'Ivoire/Manchester City)
Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)
World Coach of the Year nominees:
Massimiliano Allegri (Italy/Juventus)
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid)
Laurent Blanc (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Unai Emery (Spain/Sevilla FC)
Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)
Luis Enrique Martinez (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea)
Jorge Sampaoli (Argentina/Chilean national team)
Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid)
Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal)
