- Spurs’ South Korean superstar is among first-nominees on 30-man longlist but no place for last year’s winner Luka Modric
- No Asian players have won men’s award but Japan’s Homare Sawa won women’s equivalent in 2011
Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min has moved a step closer to his dream of becoming the first Asian footballer to win the men's Ballon d'Or.
The South Korean superstar was the only Asian to be named on the 30-man longlist when it was announced by France Football and L'Equipe on Monday night.
Son, who has been named Best Footballer in Asia four-times, recently spoke to Four Four Two of his dream of winning the Ballon d'Or.
"Of course, football players dream of the Ballon d'Or and winning the title, and this is my dream," he said.
The South Korea captain moved to German side Hamburg at 16 before a transfer to Leverkusen where he caught the eye of Spurs. Last year he fired the side to the Uefa Champions League final where they lost to Liverpool.
Son was among several first-time nominees including Liverpool's Virgil Van Dijk, the Uefa Player of the Year.
Van Dijk is believed to be in a battle with five-time winner Lionel Messi for the award, according to the bookmakers, with fellow five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo expected to come third in voting.
The Netherlands international won the Uefa Player of the Year award in August, beating Messi handsomely in the voting, but the Argentina captain was crowned Fifa FIFPro Best Men's Player last month, albeit in a much closer vote.
If either Messi or Ronaldo, who have both finished runner-up five times, wins the award they will become the first player to have won six.
Dutch defender Van Dijk is joined by six of his Liverpool teammates following the side's Uefa Champions League win and English Premier League title race last season. In all there were 15 players from the English top flight.
There was no place for last year's winner, Luka Modric, with the Real Madrid midfielder becoming the first winner not to make the long list the following year.
Japan's Homare Sawa won the women's Ballon d'Or in 2011.
Copyright (c) 2019. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
