Wayne Rooney is only British player on Ballon d'Or shortlist

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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is the only Englishman on the ballon D'Or shortlist
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Wayne Rooney helped Manchester United to their 19th league title last season

Wayne Rooney is the only British player to make the Ballon d'Or World Footballer of the Year shortlist.

Barcelona have eight players on the list, including Lionel Messi, who has won the award for the past two seasons.

Nani (Man Utd), Luis Suarez (Liverpool) and Sergio Aguero (Man City) are the other England-based players named.

Arsenal's Arsene Wenger joins Sir Alex Ferguson and Chelsea's Andre Villas-Boas on the managerial list. A decision will be made on 9 January.

Rooney helped Manchester United lift a record 19th league title in 2011 - and reach the final of the European Cup.

European champions Barcelona dominate Fifa's, external list, with Cesc Fabregas, who spent part of 2011 with Arsenal, named alongside Messi.

Real Madrid have five nominees, including former Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo and ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The shortlist will be narrowed down to three names for each category on 5 December.

Player nominees: Eric Abidal (France), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Karim Benzema (France), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Dani Alves (Brazil), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Nani (Portugal), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Gerard Pique (Spain), Wayne Rooney (England), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), David Villa (Spain), Xabi Alonso (Spain), Xavi (Spain).

Coach nominees: Vicente Del Bosque (Spain/Spain national team), Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United), Rudi Garcia (France/Lille), Pep Guardiola (Spain/Barcelona), Jurgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Loew (Germany/Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay/Uruguay national team), Andre Villas-Boas (Portugal/Porto, Chelsea), Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal).