The Barcelona striker has been left off the 23-man shortlist despite being voted the Premier League's Player of the Year for his performances at Liverpool last season, when his 31 league goals saw him share the Golden Shoe with Cristiano Ronaldo.

A big shame: Suarez's bite ultimatley ruled him out the Ballon D'or shortlist

It has been widely concluded that his bite on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini is the reason for his omission, but he told Catalan station Rac 1:

"They had already said to me that they had chosen me as the best player in the most difficult league in the world, or one of the most difficult, so it jumps out.

"I was also the leading scorer in the European leagues. But I prefer to stay quiet about these things, because every time I speak it can be a problem."

A big shame for the Uruguayan to be snubbed from the shortlist, but his reaction to it is respectable, knowing that if he hadn't bitten Chiellini, the decision to crown him the Ballon D'or winner could have very much gone his way.

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Salmaan Abbas
Love All Things Football. Writer @VAVEL.