Manchester United duo Luis Nani and Wayne Rooney have been shortlisted for this year's FIFA World Player Of The Year award. The Portuguese winger and English striker are among 23 candidates contesting to take home the prestigious Ballon d'Or. In all, four Premier League ballers were shortlisted... 

Manchester United are one of the most successful football clubs in the award's history, with four previous players scooping the gong. Cristiano Ronaldo, George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law are those four, and this year three former Red Devils are in the running; Ronaldo, Diego Forlan and Gerard Pique. But, more importantly, Nani and Rooney have been thrown into the hat for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or prize, presented on January 5th 2012. 

The 23-man shortlist will be cut to just 3 come December 5th, and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is favourite to win the award for the third consecutive year. However, Rooney is most certainly a force to be reckoned with, while no one can doubt the influence Nani has had on the Premier League. Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson has - as usual - been announced as a contender for the FIFA Coach Of The Year award, along with 10 other bosses. 


2011 FIFA World Player Of The Year Shortlist
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), Luis Nani (Portugal), Neymar Da Silva (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 Hernandez (Spain).
 
2011 FIFA World Coach Of The Yeat Shortlist
Vicente Del Bosque (Spain/Spain National Team), Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United), Rudi Garcia (France/Lille OSC), Pep Guardiola (Spain/Barcelona), Jurgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Low (Germany/Germany National Team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay/Uruguay National Team), Andre Villas-Boas (Portugal/FC Porto & Chelsea), Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal).