Argentine Diego Milito, whose two goals gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the 2010 UEFA Champions League final, was the surprise omission from the 23-player short list for the new FIFA Ballon d'Or.

Milito had 22 league goals in his debut season for Inter last season and also scored the winning goal in the decisive Serie A game and Coppa Italia final, but he played sparingly for Argentina at the World Cup and has been injured this fall. Four Inter teammates -- Julio Cesar, Maicon, Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto'o -- are on the 23-player list.

"I am very sorry for the exclusion of Diego Milito from the list of candidates for the Ballon d'Or," Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti said. "I called him to tell him that it's an incredible decision."