Suarez missing as world stars, World Cup coaches vie for FIFA honours

One of the game's most controversial characters, Luis Suarez, has been left out of the 23-man long list for the prestigious Ballon d'Or for "disgracing himself on the pitch." The award, which is voted for by coaches and captains of national teams and journalists across the world selected by France Football Magazine, will be awarded in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 12, 2015.

While the likes of holder Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time winner Lionel Messi are up for the gong, Suarez's name is nowhere to be seen despite the former Liverpool striker jointly winning the Golden Boot with the Real Madrid forward Ronaldo.

Barcelona's Suarez returned to action in last weekend's El Clasico against Real Madrid after completing his four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's World Cup clash with Italy.

Football's bad boy has paid the price for his behaviour, according to Philippe Auclair, the London-based correspondent for France Football Magazine.

"A player who has disgraced himself on the pitch as Suarez has, cannot and will not be included regardless of his achievements throughout the calendar year.

Ballon d'or shortlist:  Gareth Bale (Wales), Karim Benzema (France), Diego Costa (Spain), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Angel Di Maria (Argentina), Mario Gotze (Germany), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Toni Kroos (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Paul Pogba (France), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland, James Rodriguez (Colombia), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), and Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire).