In a appears shocking, five-time Ballon d'Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been left out of the top three for the award during the halfway mark in voting.
The release of France Football's 30-man shortlist of nominees for this year's edition of the Ballon d'Or award has prompted the football-loving crowd including players themselves to pick their favourites for the prestigious accolade.
While Ronaldo and Messi have been at the top of their game for over 10 years, a lot of people have tipped another player to win the Ballon D'Or this year, breaking the decade-long duopoly held by the Argentine and Portuguese aces.
According to Eric Mamruth, a journalist for RFI, neither Ronaldo or Messi features in the top three during the halfway mark in voting.
Croatia's Luka Modric has been considered to be a top favourite for the award having won the FIFA Men's Player of the Year award earlier this year after his Champions League glory with Real Madrid and his World Cup exploits in Russia.
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago
