ZURICH (Reuters) – Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was given a chance to defend his World Player of the Year title yesterday when he was named on the shortlist for this year's accolade.

Argentina's Lionel Messi, Brazil's Kaka, the 2007 winner, and Spanish pair Andres Iniesta and Xavi completed the shortlist for the title which will be awarded by soccer's governing body FIFA on December 21.

All five nominees play for Spanish clubs – Ronaldo and Kaka for Real Madrid and Xavi, Messi and Iniesta for Barcelona.

Messi has already won the Ballon D'Or awarded by France Football magazine, mainly after helping Barcelona to win the 2008/09 Champions League.

The winner will be chosen by national team coaches and captains, who cannot vote for players from their own country.

Last year Argentina coach Diego Maradona labelled the rules as stupid after he was unable to vote for Messi.

World Cup ticket surge

CAPE TOWN – Applications for World Cup tickets have surged following the draw for next year's event with almost 222,000 made in the 48 hours since the last phase of sales opened, FIFA said yesterday.

Around one million tickets were made available in the latest phase following Friday's draw in Cape Town when the groups for the 32-team finals were decided.

A statement from world soccer's governing body said there had been a sudden increase in applications following the draw.

Ticket applications can be made until January 22 after which a lottery will decide the successful fans.

South African organisers have made repeated appeals to locals to buy tickets, fearing that residents will be outnumbered by foreign fans.

South African residents have bought just over half of the 674,403 tickets sold in the first two phases of sales.

The third phase opened on Saturday with 219,162 applications made.

Tickets are being sold over the Internet. In South Africa, they are also being sold at local bank branches.

Prices range from $20 to $900, a massive jump from what locals are used to paying to watch domestic football

Howard warning

LONDON – With six months to go before the World Cup, Tim Howard has already put the fear in England.

The United States goalkeeper saved a late penalty from England forward Jermain Defoe in Everton's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League, and some British newspapers reacted as if the World Cup were already under way.

The Daily Telegraph wrote on the front page of yesterday's sports section: "It's US 1 England 0 as Everton's American keeper saves Defoe penalty and denies Tottenham victory."

The United States and England, who were put in the same World Cup group at Friday's draw in Cape Town, will face each other June 12 in Rustenburg, South Africa.

Open invite for Seve

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Seve Ballesteros is among 32 former British Open champions invited to play four holes on the Old Course at St. Andrews the day before next year's 150th anniversary tournament.

The Royal and Ancient invited champions to play the first, second, 17th and 18th holes at the Old Course on July 14.

Ballesteros is still recovering from a brain tumour. But R&A director of championships David Hill said yesterday that he hoped "the majority of our former champions will accept the invitation."

The BBC will broadcast the two-hour Open Champions' Challenge and the winners will receive prize money for a charity of their choice.

A similar event in 2000 featured 22 former champions and raised more than $65,000.