Monday saw the 30-man shortlist for the 2017 Ballon d’Or announced. That list will be whittled down to a 23 at the beginning of November, but even before then, there are some big names missing from the initial release.
Here, we run through five players that warranted a nomination.
Christian Eriksen – Tottenham
There were perhaps two notable Premier League absentees from the Ballon d’Or shortlist in Christian Eriksen and Alexis Sanchez. However, the former can feel the unhappier of the two at a lack of nomination after a resounding 2017 to date. The Tottenham creator in chief has made more key passes (80) than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues this year and scored in six of his seven Denmark appearances to ensure safe passage to the World Cup next summer.
Considering Philippe Coutinho’s inclusion despite an indifferent 2017, Eriksen has every right to feel aggrieved at the lack of recognition for his form for both club and country. With the joint-most assists (12) in the top five tiers of European football this calendar year, the 25-year-old was more than deserving of a place on the shortlist, at the very least. No less, Spurs fans will be grateful that his exploits can continue to fly under the radar in their bid to keep one of their star men.
Thomas Lemar – Monaco
Monaco were in fine form to lift L’Hexagoal last season, though their squad was gutted over the summer following their exploits in France. Thomas Lemar was tipped to follow Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy and Kylian Mbappe out of the Stade Louis II exit, only to see a deadline day switch to Arsenal fall through. That, though, should not have hindered Lemar from being included in the Ballon d’Or shortlist given his ever-improving performances.
The 21-year-old may have seen his form dip in recent weeks, but that shouldn’t be a reason for his omission considering his excellent attacking displays in a Monaco shirt this year. Lemar remains one of the hottest young talents on the continent and it’s likely that he will be nominated in years to come, yet there are those who believe the France international was overlooked this year given his influence in Monaco’s title triumph.
Thiago Alcantara – Bayern Munich
It’s been a tumultuous 2017 for Bayern Munich, who last month relieved Carlo Ancelotti of his duties following a 3-0 defeat to PSG in the Champions League. That didn’t stop the Bundesliga champions from having two representatives in the Ballon d’Or shortlist in Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski. However, some feel a third should have been added in Thiago Alcantara. The Spaniard has endured his fair share of injury worries, but looks to have overcome his woes to return to his best in the Bayern midfield.
While the 26-year-old struggled for regular game time in Germany’s top tier under Ancelotti this term, he has impressed whenever on the pitch and he’s expected to have a key role under Jupp Heynckes following the experienced manager’s return to the Allianz Arena. His attacking consistency and off the ball tenacity renders him the ideal central midfielder when he is fit and the expectation now is that he has a key role to play between now and the end of the season.
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Casemiro – Real Madrid
While much of the focus on Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumph was on Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Isco, to name three, Casemiro’s influence as the ball winning midfielder should not be underestimated. The Brazilian scored a crucial goal in the Champions League final win over Juventus and was vital as the tough tackling star in their title success.
Indeed, only Asier Illarramendi (154) has made more tackles and interceptions combined than the Brazilian (150) in Europe’s top five leagues this year. His defensive discipline makes him a key cog in the Real Madrid XI and his exploits in the middle of the park means he was deserving of a nomination. With Modric and Toni Kroos both shortlisted, Casemiro would have been a worthy inclusion to make up the Real Madrid midfield triumvirate.
Papu Gomez - Atalanta
There were a number of Serie A performers who could have made the cut, including Gonzalo Higuain and Giorgio Chiellini, but Papu Gomez deserved to be mentioned among the best after a storming 18 months for Atalanta. The 29-year-old was exceptional in their storming finish last term and has maintained his fine form both domestically and in Europe.
The Argentina international has made more accurate crosses from open play (44) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues in 2017 and is widely considered one of the best players in Italy, despite playing for one of Serie A’s less fashionable sides. Despite interest from Lazio and Inter over the summer, Gomez elected to extend his stay with Atalanta, much to their benefit. Their talisman has been in fine fettle and a nomination wouldn’t have been unjustified.
