SOCCER: JUST BUFFON IN WORLD PLAYER LIST

SOCCER: JUST BUFFON IN WORLD PLAYER LIST

(ANSA) - London, October 30 - Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is Italy's only representative in FIFA's list of 23 candidates for the 2009 World Player of the Year award, world soccer's ruling body said Friday.

No Italians at all made France Football's recent list of 30 candidates for the still more prestigious European Footballer of the Year prize - down from two, Buffon and Luca Toni, in 2008.

The last two FIFA winners, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka', are up for the prize again but the bookies' favourite is Lionel Messi, who is also expected to pick up the Ballon d'Or from France Football on December 1.

FIFA's World Player of the Year will be announced on December 21.

Italy has won the FIFA award twice since its inception in 1991: Roberto Baggio in 1992 and Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.

Only one goalkeeper has featured in the top three, with Oliver Kahn coming second to Ronaldo in 2002.

Here is this year's list: Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Camerun), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka' (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Carles Puyol (Spain), Franck Ribery (France), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain), Xavi (Spain).