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Ballon d'Or organisers explain Messi snub [{ "selector": ".weart-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "0ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1"} ] }]

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Messi was not included in the 30-player Ballon d'Or shortlist. [{ "selector": ".opuke-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "0ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1"} ] }]

because of "new criteria" for the most prestigious individual accolade in football, according to the event's organisers, France Football.

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Neymar, Messi's teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, was left off of the list of contenders when it was made public on Friday. [{ "selector": ".xrxqq-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "0ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1"} ] }]

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United got a spot.

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Messi, the Ballon d'Or winner from the previous year, left Barcelona last summer to join PSG, where he won the Ligue 1 championship in just his first season. [{ "selector": ".oocqq-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "0ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1"} ] }]

Lionel Messi, who has made 15 consecutive appearances from 2006 and won seven Ballon d'Or awards

"Ronaldo [117 goals] became the top scorer in national football this year.

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He gave Manchester United seven points in the Champions League group stage with four impromptu goals. [{ "selector": ".tgbkp-a", "duration": "500ms", "fill": "forwards", "delay": "0ms", "keyframes": [ {"offset": 0, "opacity": 0}, {"offset": 1, "opacity": "1"} ] }]

Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Joao Cancelo, and summer addition Erling Haaland all on the list for English champions Manchester City.