Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen are also nominated, as are Wayen Rooney, David Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry.
Voting takes place this month and a short-list of three will be produced in November before the winner is unveiled at the World Player Gala at the Zurich Opera House on 20th December.
List in full:
Adriano (Brazil)
Roberto Ayala (Argentina)
Michael Ballack (Germany)
Milan Baros (Czech Republic)
David Beckham (England)
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
Cafu (Brazil)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Deco (Portugal)
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
Luis Figo (Portugal)
Steven Gerrard (England)
Ryan Giggs (Wales)
Thierry Henry (France)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)
Oliver Kahn (Germany)
Kaka (Brazil)
Frank Lampard (England)
Henrik Larsson (Sweden)
Roy Makaay (Netherlands)
Paolo Maldini (Italy)
Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic)
Alessandro Nesta (Italy)
Michael Owen (England)
Robert Pires (France)
Raul (Spain)
Roberto Carlos (Brazil)
Ronaldinho (Brazil)
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Wayne Rooney (England)
Andrej Shevchenko (Ukraine)
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands)
Theodoros Zagorakis (Greece)
Zinedine Zidane (France).