Profiles of Fifa ballon d'or final nominees

The profiles of the fifa ballon d'or 2015 and notable achievements go as thus

The Candidates



Sergio AGUERO

ARGENTINA
El Kun was in among the goals again as Manchester City finished runners-up in the English Premier League last season, his tally of 26 goals in 33 matches earning him the league’s Golden Boot award.



Gareth BALE

WALES
Gareth Bale was named Wales’ footballer of the year for a record-breaking fifth time in 2015, and no wonder.



Karim Benzema

FRANCE
Cristiano Ronaldo's first lieutenant at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has forged an excellent understanding with the Portuguese forward and can pride himself on being a fixture in the club's attack, having struck 21 goals and served up 12 assists in his last 35 games.



Cristiano Ronaldo

PORTUGAL
After winning the third FIFA Ballon d’Or of his career at the start of 2015, Cristiano Ronaldo continued to perform at his very best, racking up the goals to end the league season as its highest scorer with 48 in all, his biggest haul in Spain to date.



Kevin DE BRUYNE

BELGIUM
It takes a rare talent to surpass Lionel Messi on the statistical front but Kevin De Bruyne achieved precisely that in 2014/15. His tally of 26 assists for Wolfsburg was more than even the Barcelona phenomenon could muster last season.



Eden HAZARD

BELGIUM
The praise flowed once again for Eden Hazard in 2015 as he was voted player of the year in England and Chelsea's player of the season, picking up both awards for a second consecutive campaign.



Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC

SWEDEN
One of modern football's most enduring icons, it's rare that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out of the spotlight – with 2014 the first time in three years that the Swedish star had missed out on the FIFA Ballon d'Or top ten.



Andres INIESTA

SPAIN
In continuing to play key roles for club and country, the 31-year midfielder has shown his ability to adapt to changes in tactics and the personnel around him.



Toni KROOS

GERMANY
Toni Kroos pulls the strings in midfield both for Real Madrid and Germany, dictating the rhythm of the game and able to unlock any defence with his pinpoint passing.



Robert LEWANDOWSKI

POLAND
Robert Lewandowski is the perfect embodiment of a classic number nine. The Polish striker can score with virtually any part of his body and poses a constant threat, regardless of whether he has his back to goal or space to play in ahead of him.



Javier MASCHERANO

ARGENTINA
Now 31, the Argentinian was a linchpin of the Barcelona side that won the Spanish league, UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey and European Super Cup last season, figuring among the ten most-used players by Luis Enrique across all competitions.



Lionel MESSI

ARGENTINA
The Argentinian star recaptured the form and sharpness that has brought him four FIFA Ballons d’Or to date. Barcelona’s leading marksman in the league with 43 goals, he fired his side to yet another title and also top-scored in their victorious UEFA Champions League campaign, contributing ten goals and six assists.



Thomas MUELLER

GERMANY
Thomas Muller is capable of the extraordinary and can pull off a surprise at any time in any game to prove decisive. Thanks to his instinctive nose for goal, the attacking all-rounder is frequently in the right place at the right time.



Manuel NEUER

GERMANY
Manuel Neuer has been the undisputed No1 between the posts for Germany and record German champions Bayern Munich for a number of years now.



NEYMAR

BRAZIL
Coming into his own in his second season with Barcelona, Neymar consolidated his position as one third of a lethal three-pronged attack.



Paul Pogba

FRANCE
A long-awaited successor to Patrick Vieira in the France line-up, and capable of playing every position in midfield, Paul Pogba confirmed his stunning potential in 2015 after first raising expectations last year.



Ivan RAKITIC

CROATIA
Ivan Rakitic dictates the play for Barcelona and provides cover for the team’s attackers to get forward, doing so with great aplomb. The defensive midfielder is both an aggressive tackler and an excellent strategist.



Arjen ROBBEN

NETHERLANDS
The 2015 calendar year was something of a rollercoaster of emotions for Arjen Robben. On the one hand he was able to continue his impressive form from the previous year, when he finished third at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ with the Netherlands.



James RODRIGUEZ

COLOMBIA
Despite the stiffest of competition in the Real Madrid front line, the Colombian showed his considerable array of skills in his maiden season at the Bernabeu, ending the campaign with 17 goals and as many assists in all competitions.



Alexis SANCHEZ

CHILE
2015 was an unforgettable year in the career of the Chilean forward, who converted the penalty that secured the Copa America for La Roja, their first official national team title.



Luis SUAREZ

URUGUAY
The Uruguayan settled in straightaway at Barcelona, making a pivotal contribution to the club’s second treble success. Despite being suspended until October 2014, Suarez nevertheless ended his debut season at the Camp Nou with 25 goals from 43 matches.



Yaya Touré

CÔTE D'IVOIRE
Though Yaya Toure may have ended the 2014/15 season with fewer goals than he managed in the outstanding campaign that preceded it, and though his club Manchester City lost out to Chelsea in the race for the English title, the midfielder has plenty of other reasons to look back on 2015 with satisfaction.



Arturo VIDAL

CHILE
Dubbed El Rey Arturo, the 28-year-old Vidal enjoyed a 2015 to remember, winning the scudetto and Coppa Italia with Juventus, as well as a UEFA Champions League runners-up medal, and also helping Chile to land their first major international trophy at the Copa America.