Sergio Aguero, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gianluigi Buffon have also been named on the list.

France Football magazine is revealing the 30-man shortlist in bunches of five players - by alphabetical order - every two hours throughout Monday.

Fifa ended its association with the award last month.

The award has been given by France Football every year since 1956, but for the past six years it became the Fifa Ballon d'Or in association with world football's governing body.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won the award last year for a record fifth time.

The last time a player other than Messi or Ronaldo won was in 2007, when then AC Milan playmaker Kaka took the honour.

Five Premier League players - Manchester City trio Yaya Toure, Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Chelsea's Eden Hazard - made a 23-man shortlist last year, with Bale the only British player on the list.

Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were also included last time for their performances with Juventus and Paris St-Germain.

The shortlist has traditionally been trimmed to three before the awards evening in January.