Neuer makes Ballon d'Or shortlist

The original 23-man shortlist - which included Gareth Bale as the only Briton - was trimmed to three by a group of football experts from the FIFA Football Committee and France Football.

Ronaldo is defending his crown after winning it in 2013 to end Messi's three-year run as the world's best player since FIFA and France Football merged their awards.

It is the eighth consecutive year that Messi has made the shortlist having broken both Champions League and La Liga scoring records this month.

He also won the Golden Ball at the World Cup, although he will end 2014 without a team honour as Argentina lost to Neuer's Germany in the World Cup final. 

Neuer, who won the Golden Glove award in Brazil, won the German league and cup double with Bayern Munich before lifting football's biggest prize and would become only the second goalkeeper to win the prize after the Soviet Union's Lev Yashin.

Ronaldo's World Cup campaign with Portugal ended in the group stage, but he won the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with Real Madrid.

Germany coach Joachim Low, Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone were selected for the Coach of the Year award, with the winners revealed at the final ceremony in Zurich on January 12.