Spanish news agency EFE today reports that FIFA have announced the list of players nominated for this year’s FIFA ‘World Player of the Year’ to be held December 21st.

Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Fernando Torres, David Villa and Xavi Hernandez are in the preliminary list of candidates, which means that Spain’s has the most representation of any country, ahead of England, with Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and John Terry.

The obvious favourites are Argentine Lionel Messi, who plays for Barcelona, and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, last year’s winner.

Brazil has three players nominated with Diego of Juventus, Kaka from Real Madrid and Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano.

France’s Thierry Henry and Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the other FC Barcelona’s players on the list.

Candidates List:

Spain
Iker Casillas (R Madrid), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), and Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona)

England
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea) and Wayne Rooney (MU)

Brazil
Diego (Juventus), Kaká (R Madrid) and, Luis Fabiano (Sevilla)

Argentina
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

France
Thierry Henry (Barcelona)

Sweden
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona)

Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo (R Madrid)

Ivory Coast
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Ghana
Michael Essien (Chelsea)

Cameroon
Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)

Germany
Michael Ballack (Chelsea)

Italy
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)