19. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s a safe bet that Gabon is the smallest country ever to have a Ballon d’Or nominee. But with a talent like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the ranks, the tiny African nation more than deserves to be represented on this year’s list.
Few world-class players are a better fit for their current clubs than Aubameyang, who possesses some of the most blistering speed in the always up-and-down Bundesliga. The forefront of one of the most menacing counterattacks assembled, Aubameyang netted 25 goals for Dortmund to lead the club to a second-place finish in the league. For his efforts, he was named Bundesliga Player of the Year.
This season, he’s on track to hit the 30-goal mark as he’s started the league campaign with seven goals in seven games. He’ll also get a chance to make a deep run in the Champions League for the first time as he wasn’t around when Dortmund made its run to the final in 2013.
Perhaps its his lack of chances to impress internationally or it’s because he plays in a league that revolves around Bayern, but Aubameyang is one of the most underrated stars in world football. But make no mistake, he’s well-worth the Ballon d’Or nomination.