TALENTED Algerian winger Rihad Mahrez, the fearsome Arabian attacker Zimbabwean defenders will deal with at the 2017 Afcon finals early next year, has been named among the top 30 footballers in the world.

The Zimbabwean Warriors are in the same group with Algeria as well as Senegal and Tunisia.

Mahrez will spearhead the Desert Foxes attack line that has the likes of his Leicester City teammate Islam Slimani as well as Yacine Brahimi of FC Porto.

And Mahrez, the reigning English Football Player of the Year, got another seal of approval on Monday when he was named on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the other African player on the shortlist.

Aubameyang will lead the attack for 2017 Afcon hosts Gabon when the biennial showcase kicks in January.

Jamie Vardy, who scored 24 goals in a historic season for English champions Leicester City, is also on the list that has familiar characters Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Suarez and Gareth Bale.

France Football are now the sole organisers of the prize given to the best footballer in the world following a split from FIFA.

Ronaldo won the Euro Championship with Portugal in July, just under two months after he scored the winning penalty when Real Madrid clinched its 11th UEFA Champions League title.

He is the favorite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

Reigning World Footballer of the Year Messi won La Liga and the Copa Del Rey with Barcelona. He also led Argentina to the Copa America final.

This year's Ballon d'Or is judged solely by a panel of journalists after FIFA and France Football parted ways.

30-man shortlist

Sergio Aguero, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gareth Bale, Gianluigi Buffon, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne, Paulo Dybala, Diego Godín,
Antoine Griezmann, Gonzalo Higuain , Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andres Iniesta, Koke, Toni Kroos, Robert Lewandowski, Hugo Lloris, Riyad Mahrez,
Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Neymar, Dimitri Payet, Pepe, Paul Pogba , Rui Patricio, Sergio Ramos, Luis Suarez,
Jamie Vardy, Arturo Vidal