Neymar, Luis Suarez, and last year's winner Luka Modric have all been omitted from the 2019 Ballon d'Or shortlist
- Neymar, Luis Suarez, and last year's winner Luka Modric have all been omitted from the 30-man shortlist for the 2019 Ballon d'Or award.
- France Football, which presents the award, says Neymar missed out because of a "black" and "very complicated" year, while Modric did so due to failing to match the standards he set last season.
- Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, World Cup winning duo Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante, and Paris Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani also missed out.
- The winner of the award will be announced in Paris on December 2.
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Neymar, Luis Suarez, and last year's winner Luka Modric have all been omitted from the shortlist for the 2019 Ballon d'Or award.
The annual award is handed to the "world's best soccer player," as voted by journalists from across the world.
France Football, which presents the award, revealed its 30-man shortlist on Monday.
Neymar missed out for the first time since 2010, with France Football citing a "black" and "very complicated" year as reason for the Brazilian's exclusion.
Meanwhile, Luka Modric, who scooped the prize in 2018, will not feature because he is "struggling more than expected to get back to the top of his game." It is the first time since the award's inception in 1956 that the previous winner has not been nominated the following year.
FC Barcelona forward Luis Suarez, Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, and World Cup winner Paul Pogba also missed out on a place in the final 30, as did Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Paris Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani.
Liverpool FC has the most players nominated from a single club with seven of Jurgen Klopp's men - Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, and Georginio Wijnaldum - making the cut.
Premier League rival Manchester City has five players nominated in the form of Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Sergio Aguero, while FC Barcelona has four in Lionel Messi, Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo is again nominated for a record 16th time.
The full list of nominees can be seen here:
The winner of the award will be announced in Paris on December 2.
Associate Translation Editor Ruqayyah Moynihan contributed to this article.