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Jordan Lukaku Belgium Jersey , Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The exploits of Australian Socceroos' Massimo Luongo in January's AFC Asian Cup have propelled the young star into the race for world football's greatest individual honor, the Ballon d'Or.
The 23-year-old, who this season moved to Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship from third-tier side Swindon Town, was a surprising inclusion on the 59-man shortlist released on Tuesday.
The list places Luongo's name alongside some of football's biggest names, including past winners Leo Messi (four time winner) and Cristiano Ronaldo (three).
Luongo, who led Australia to its first piece of international silverware as the player of the tournament in the Asian Cup
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"I didn't even know if it was real... I thought it was someone trying to be funny," he told Australian Associated Press on Tuesday.
"It's obviously a big honor, not many people get on it, I can say I've been on the Ballon d'Or list now.
"I don't know what to say about it... it's a bit random."
However, worldwide media has reacted with surprise - and derision - at FIFA's nod to the midfielder, in spite of his stellar form for club and country in 2015.
Spanish sports newspaper Marca called Luongo a "surprise candidate
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Australian media highlighted how Luongo made the list ahead of absentees David Silva, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Mesut Ozil, Philipp Lahm
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Luongo joins Socceroo legends Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill as the only Australians to be named on the shortlist for the award.
The midfielder, who has been playing further forward alongside striker Charlie Austin since his switch to Rangers, said he had joked with teammates that he had "no chance of winning it."
But he did not rule out a miracle altogether. "I'm on the list so you never now," Luongo said.
The list will be whittled down to 23 candidates later in the year
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It's Peace out for the Los Angeles Lakers.
They waived Metta World Peace on Thursday under the NBA's amnesty provision, which will save the team about $15 million in luxury tax. He was set to earn $7.7 million next season, which the Lakers still must pay.
He averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 75 games last season, having joined the Lakers in 2009. The 33-year-old tore knee cartilage in March and clearly wasn't the same player afterward. He didn't play in the last game of San Antonio's four-game sweep of the Lakers in the first round.
The former Ron Artest legally changed his name during his tenure with the team. One of the highlights of his time with the Lakers was his clutch play in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, which helped them beat Boston for the franchise's 16th championship.
''It's tough to say goodbye to a player such as Metta, who has been a significant part of our team the past four seasons
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Kobe Bryant wanted to keep him, tweeting earlier this week that he'd hold onto World Peace and try to make a run with the team the Lakers had.
A 14-year veteran, World Peace has also played for Houston, Sacramento, Indiana and Chicago during his career.
He won the league's citizenship award in 2011 for his off-court contributions.
World Peace tweeted thanks that Kupchak had called him first.
In a follow-up tweet
Divock Origi Belgium Jersey , World Peace, well-known for kidding his followers on the social media site, wrote, ''I'm going to play for Yao Mings team in china! I can't wait to arrive in Shanghai !!''
Former All-Star center Yao played for the Sharks before coming to the U.S. to play in the NBA and he and World Peace were teammates in Houston.
In another move, the Lakers signed free agent Nick Young, who starred at Southern California during his college career. The 6-foot-7 guard-forward averaged 10.6 points
Dedryck Boyata Belgium Jersey , 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 59 games for Philadelphia last season.
Young previously played in Los Angeles for the Clippers, and was with Washington during his six-year NBA career.
(Agencies)
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