This morning Man United striker Wayne Rooney has been shortlisted for the FIFA World Player Of The Year award. He has been named alongside other English Premier League stars Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Terry.

Other Premier League players named are Michael Ballack, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and Michael Essien. I can understand every name in that list apart from Ballack. What exactly did he do last season?

Here is the full list of 23 names:

Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Didier Drogba (Côte d'Ivoire), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Kaká (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Carles Puyol (Spain), Franck Ribéry (France), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

In early December, FIFA will announce the names of the five players who have received the highest votes. The winner of the award will be revealed on the 21st December at the FIFA World Player Gala at the Zurich Kongresshaus.