The list was compiled by the FIFA Football Committee with the help of French magazine France Football. It will be trimmed to a shortlist of three on Dec. 1, with the winner announced at a ceremony in Zurich on Jan 12, 2015.
The list features 17 players from Europe, five from South America and one from Africa (Yaya Toure). World champions Germany are the most represented with six entries.
All of the candidates play their club football in Europe, for only eight different clubs, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich tied for the most with six each, followed by Barcelona with four.
There was no place on the list for Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who was named the Premier League's Player of the Year last season while at Liverpool and shared the Golden Ball award as Europe's top goal scorer last term with Ronaldo, following his four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a match at the World Cup.
The list of 23 contenders:
1. Gareth Bale, Wales, Real Madrid
2. Karim Benzema, France, Real Madrid
3. Diego Costa, Spain, Chelsea
4. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium, Chelsea
5. Angel Di Maria, Argentina, Manchester United
6. Mario Gotze, Germany, Bayern Munich
7. Eden Hazard, Belgium, Chelsea
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden, Paris Saint-Germain
9. Andres Iniesta, Spain, Barcelona
10. Toni Kroos, Germany, Real Madrid
11. Philipp Lahm, Germany, Bayern Munich
12. Javier Mascherano, Argentina, Barcelona
13. Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
14. Thomas Muller, Germany, Bayern Munich
15. Manuel Neuer, Germany, Bayern Munich
16. Neymar, Brazil, Barcelona
17. Paul Pogba, France, Juventus
18. Sergio Ramos, Spain, Real Madrid
19. Arjen Robben, Netherlands, Bayern Munich
20. James Rodriguez, Colombia, Real Madrid
23. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
24. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany, Bayern Munich
25. Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast, Manchester City.
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