UEFA Best Player in Europe 2015-16 Shortlist Announced: Latest Details, Reaction

UEFA has announced the 10-man shortlist for the 2015-16 Best Player in Europe Award, featuring the likes of Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann, as well as Euro 2016 winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe.

Wigan Athletic's Will Grigg just missed out despite matching the likes of Paul Pogba and Hugo Lloris in votes (25th overall) as European football's governing body confirmed the finalists via its official website. 

The official Champions League Twitter account provided a look at the final 10 in full:

Argentina's Messi and Uruguay's Luis Suarez are the only non-European stars to make the final 10, while the inclusion of Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer (both of Bayern Munich) and Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) means Germany are the most well-represented nation.  

The Sun's Dream Team couldn't help but notice the remarkable rise made by Wigan and Northern Ireland star Grigg, who failed to make an appearance for his country in any of their four matches at Euro 2016:

Rob Harris of the Associated Press highlighted the calibre of players he's sat alongside, with journalists from each of the 55 UEFA member associations having a say in who made the shortlist:

It's a bitter blow for Pogba in particular, who saw his stock fall after failing to hit the heights expected of him during France's run to the final, despite another impressive campaign with Juventus at club level.

Juve team-mate Gianluigi Buffon, on the other hand, is fully deserving of his place on the 10-man shortlist, having dazzled for Italy at the ripe age of 38 and having helped Juve clinch a fifth successive Serie A title in 2015-16.

Ronaldo enjoyed a spectacular 2015-16 season, scoring 51 goals in 49 games and aiding Real Madrid in their run to a second UEFA Champions League crown in three years, but his Euro 2016 campaign was not so dazzling.

Despite failing to hit top speed and coming off injured as an early casualty in the Paris final, however, Portugal's captain still managed to make the Team of the Tournament:

Alongside Ronaldo, the inclusions of Pepe, Kroos and Bale make Real Madrid the most well-represented club for the Best Player in Europe Award shortlist, while Buffon, Neuer and Muller are the only additions who play outside La Liga.

Messi is the only player to have won the award twice (2011, 2015), while Ronaldo is the only other player on this year's shortlist to have won the accolade in its five-year history (2014).