There were some big-name drop-outs and exclusions from this year's rankings - who is likely to return and who is gone forever?
ANALYSIS
By Carlo Garganese
Just as light follows dark, the highs of a footballer’s career will eventually be replaced by lows - and the annual Goal 50 acts as a useful measuring stick for the pace of change.
While some stars, such as Neymar, have gradually moved up the rankings as their stock has risen, others, like Kaka and Steven Gerrard, have slid down the pole before disappearing entirely. In some instances, a player has returned after years in the wilderness - in this edition, Franck Ribery narrowly missed out on Lionel Messi’s top prize having last appeared in 2009.
Below we take a look at some of the high-profile dropouts and exclusions from the latest Goal 50 and their prospects of making a return in the future.
