FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester City...and LA Galaxy and New York City FC.
According to a Spanish media report, those two MLS clubs are named among illustrious company on FIFA's “longlist” for the Ballon d'Or, the global honor awarded annually to the world's best player, as the excellence of newly-arrived stars Giovani dos Santos and Andrea Pirlo has earned them spots on a list that also includes the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski.
The list is formed with both club and international performances in mind, and in Dos Santos' and Pirlo's cases, heavily factors in their form with previous clubs Villarreal and Juventus, respectively.
The initial 59-player list was acquired by Spain's Mundo Deportivo, and also features Mexican international Andres Guardado, currently plying his trade at Dutch club PSV.
Compiled by FIFA's Football Committee, the longlist will eventually be trimmed down to 23 in December before the prize is awarded in January.
