European Football

PARIS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - France's Thierry Henry and Brazil's Ronaldinho were not included on the list of nominees for the 2008 Ballon d'Or award on Sunday.

Barcelona striker Henry, who has had a difficult season in the Primera Liga and suffered a first-round exit at Euro 2008 with France in June, was not named on the 30-man shortlist for the first time since 1999.

AC Milan forward Ronaldinho, who won the award in 2005, did not make the shortlist after a miserable season at Barcelona.

"It's normal, I did not play much in the last season," Ronaldinho told French TV channel TF1 on Sunday.

Former winners Fabio Cannavaro of Italy and Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko were also excluded from the shortlist, which has been cut from 50 to 30 players this year.

European champions Spain have seven players on the list, including Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Brazil have only one player, last year's winner Kaka of AC Milan.

Champions League winners Manchester United have two players on the list in hot favourite Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and England striker Wayne Rooney.

The gong, formerly known as European Footballer of the Year award, will be awarded on Dec. 2 by 96 journalists from all over the world after a poll organised by French magazine France Football.