Arsenal duo included amongst Ballon D’Or nominees

Arsenal pair Alexis Sanchez and David Ospina have been included amongst a 59-man shortlist for FIFA Ballon D’Or award, leaked by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo.

The South American duo, both of whom joined Arsenal after last summer’s World Cup in Brazil, join the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski on the shortlist.

FIFA’s procedure for the Ballon D’Or sees each member nation cast their votes, with international managers and captains all getting their pick as well as top journalists from across the globe.

Whilst the two Arsenal players may raise some eyebrows, it’s expected their nominations come from South America in particular- with Alexis’ inclusion likely coming after his Copa America heroics in the summer, where he scored the winning penalty in the final against Argentina.

Ospina’s Colombia also had a successful tournament, with the highlight being a 1-0 victory over Brazil, but their campaign was ended prematurely in the quarter-finals as they lost to Argentina on penalties.

Other nominees include Alexis’ compatriots Eduardo Vargas and Gary Medel, whilst Ospina is joined by Colombia team-mates Carlos Bacca and Jackson Martinez.

It’s expected that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be two of the final three, with the former tipped to win his third Ballon D’Or. The pairing have won all five Ballon D’Or’s between them since the merge with FIFA’s World Player Of The Year award in 2010.

Does Alexis Sanchez have a chance of making the final three? Let us know below!