Michael Essien In The Run For FIFA/FIFPro World XI

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    The football world family gathers in Zurich, Switzerland on 10th January to honor those who have excelled and made a significant contribution to world football in the past year at FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala.
    The top prize on the Gala night is the FIFA Ballon d’Or given to the best player of the year.
    A new chapter in football was opened with the news that France Football’s Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award have merged. As a result, the world’s best player will, from now on, be awarded the FIFA Ballon d’Or each year.
    In practical terms, the new FIFA Ballon d’Or award also represents a fusion in terms of voting procedure. Votes will now come from the coaches and captains of international teams – as was previously the case for the FIFA Player of the Year – and also from journalists, who used to nominate France Football’s Ballon d’Or winner.
    The shortlist for 2010 has three names and unfortunately none of them are from Africa. Three African players however have a chance to win on the night by making it into The FIFA/FIFPro World XI.
    Ivory Coast striker, Didier Drogba, club compatriot and Ghanaian midfielder, Michael Essien and reigning African Footballer of the year, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o are in the running for the best eleven players in the world for 2010.
    The FIFA/FIFPro World XI award was presented for the first time at the 2009 FIFA World Player Gala.
    The FIFA/FIFPro World XI is chosen by over 50,000 professional football players from all over the world, who vote for the best player in each position.
    Africa could also walk away with another award in the FIFA Puskas Award 2010. This is a category where online voters choose the best goal scored in 2010.
    By the close of the vote, over a million had voted on FIFA.com on the ten selected top goals of which South Africa’s Siphiwe Tshabalala’s wonder strike, the very first goal of FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 is one. Other awards to be given on the night include :
    FIFA Ballon d’Or
    FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year
    FIFA Men’s Football Coach of the Year
    FIFA Women’s Football Coach of the Year
    FIFA Presidential Award
    FIFA Fair Play Award
    FIFA Puskás Award
    FIFA/FIFPro World XI
    Source: CAF