Ghana midfielder Michael Essien listed by Fifa as one of 23 players in contention for the 2009 World Player of the Year.

The 28-year-old is chasing the highest individual award in world football although he is considered an outsider to upset the likes of Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka who are much fancied for the award.

The Chelsea ace was voted the 2005 French Player of the Year and has since that year been voted runnners-up for the African Footballer of the Year accolade.

Essien is short listed alongisde fellow Africans Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o who moved to Inter Milan this summer.

An African footballer is yet to emulate the feat of Liberian football legend George Weah who beat competition from Paolo Maldini and Jurgen Klinsmann to win the 1995 award.

The list will however be pruned to five by Fifa for coaches and national team captainsto vote for the most outstanding footballer.

The winner of the award will be announced on 21 December in Zurich


Below is the list of nominated players:

Michael Ballack (Germany), Chelsea, Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Juventus, Iker Casillas (Spain), Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Real Madrid

Diego (Brazil), Juventus, Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Chelsea, MICHAEL ESSIEN (Ghana), Chelsea, Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Inter Milan

Steven Gerrard (England), Liverpool, Thierry Henry (France), Barcelona, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Barcelona, Andres Iniesta (Spain)

Barcelona Kaka (Brazil), Real Madrid, Frank Lampard (England), Chelsea, Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Sevilla, Lionel Messi (Argentina),

Barcelona Carles Puyol (Spain), Barcelona, Franck Ribery (France), Bayern Munich, Wayne Rooney (England), Manchester United, John Terry (England), Chelsea

Fernando Torres (Spain), Liverpool, David Villa (Spain), Valencia, Xavi (Spain), Barcelona