Ronaldo, Messi on the list of candidates for the FIFA Best Player award

The world football federation FIFA announced the list of 24 candidates for the 2017 Best Player award.

Last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and PSG new boy Neymar are all on the list.

Ronaldo has a great chance to defend his title. Photo: Reuters

Thanks to their achievements in winning the double in Italy and reaching the Champions League final, Juventus contributed two players, Paulo Dybala and Gianluigi Buffon.

Real Madrid have the most players on the list, with seven names. That includes full-backs Dani Carvajal and Marcelo.

Harry Kane, who has been the Premier League's top scorer for the past two seasons, is also included. In addition to the Tottenham striker, the Premier League last season also introduced four other candidates including Alexis Sanchez, N'golo Kante, Eden Hazard and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The list was chosen by a committee of former footballers, including Diego Maradona, Cafu, Carles Puyol, Edwin van der Sar and Jay Jay Okocha.

Based on the list, coaches, captains of FIFA national teams and media representatives around the world will vote from August 21 to September 7. FIFA will then announce the names of the top three players in preparation for the awards ceremony.

According to VNE