Leslie Davies of Bangor City will go up against the likes of Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo and Sergio Augero for the 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award after being named on the 32-man longlist.
UEFA said that the award is: "born out of an initiative by UEFA President Michel Platini and intends to revive the spirit of the old European Footballer of the Year honour."
Messi won the inaugural award in 2011.
Davies is the shock inclusion on the longlist though. The 27-year-old forward, affectionately known as 'The Truck" by supporters scored 16 goals in 31 appearances for Bangor last season but does not even have a Wikipedia page.
He has represented Wales at U21 level but has never played outside his country with his former clubs including Caernarfon Town and CPD Porthmadog.
It is likely that cheeky Welsh journalists secured his nomination.
UEFA explains the voting process as thus: "A jury of journalists from each of UEFA's 53 member associations has provided a list of their best-ranked players. The players are ordered from one to five, with the first receiving five points, the second four points and so on.
"On 14 August, UEFA.com will reveal the three players with the most points overall from the first round of voting. They will then proceed to the live vote in Monaco when the same journalists will use an electronic system to determine the winner from the three candidates."
The 32-player long list is as follows (in alphabetical order):
Sergio Agüero (ARG) – Manchester City
Xabi Alonso (ESP) – Real Madrid
Mario Balotelli (ITA) – Manchester City
Jakub Błaszczykowski (POL) – Borussia Dortmund
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) – Juventus
Iker Casillas (ESP) – Real Madrid
Petr Cech (CZE) – Chelsea
Fabio Coentrao (POR) – Real Madrid
Leslie Davies (WAL) – Bangor City
Didier Drogba (CIV) – Chelsea (now at Shanghai Shenhua)
Cesc Fabregas (ESP) – Barcelona
Falcao (COL) – Atletico Madrid
Joe Hart (ENG) – Manchester City
Zlatan Ibrahimović (SWE) – AC Milan
Andres Iniesta (ESP) – Barcelona
Shinji Kagawa (JPN) – Borussia Dortmund (now at Manchester United)
Vincent Kompany (BEL) – Manchester City
Frank Lampard (ENG) – Chelsea
Lionel Messi (ARG) – Barcelona
Luka Modric (CRO) – Tottenham Hotspur
Mesut Ozil (GER) – Real Madrid
Pepe (POR) – Real Madrid
Andrea Pirlo (ITA) – Juventus
Sergio Ramos (ESP) – Real Madrid
Raul (ESP) – Schalke 04 (now at al-Sadd Sports Club)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) – Real Madrid
Wayne Rooney (ENG) – Manchester United
David Silva (ESP) – Manchester City
Fernando Torres (ESP) – Chelsea
Yaya Touré (CIV) – Manchester City
Robin van Persie (NED) – Arsenal
Xavi Hernández (ESP) – Barcelona
