Messi v Ronaldo v Ribery: Three-man shortlist for Ballon d'Or.

                                               FIFA have confirmed a three-man shortlist of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery for the 2013 Ballon d’Or.

Holder Messi has lifted the last four prizes but it is Ronaldo who is the bookies’ odds-on favourite to triumph this time aroun                                                                                                            The Real Madrid forward has netted 32 times already this season for club and country and, with Barcelona’s Messi currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, the momentum appears to be with the Portuguese.

Indeed, his hat-trick for his country during last month’s 3-2 World Cup play-off victory over Sweden has strengthened calls for him to be crowned this year’s victor.

Ribery, Champions League winner with Bayern Munich, is the outsider of the trio having been favourite until Ronaldo’s heroics against Sweden and FIFA’s subsequent announcement that voting for the award was still open.

The winner will be revealed at the Ballon d'or award ceremony in Zurich on January 13. 

Meanwhile, FIFA have also confirmed the shortlisted players for their FIFPro World XI for 2013.

There are four England players among those included; Leighton Baines, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. infact below is the full list...                                                                                                       Goalkeepers:

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus); Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid CF); Petr Cech (Czech Republic, Chelsea FC); Manuel Neuer (Germany, FC Bayern München), Víctor Valdes (Spain, FC Barcelona).

Defenders:

David Alaba (Austria, FC Bayern München); Jordi Alba (Spain, FC Barcelona); Dani Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona); Leighton Baines (England, Everton FC); Jérôme Boateng (Germany, FC Bayern München);Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea FC); Dante (Brazil, FC Bayern München); Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund); Branislav Ivanović (Serbia, Chelsea FC); Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Manchester City FC); Philipp Lahm (Germany, FC Bayern München); David Luiz (Brazil, Chelsea FC); Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid CF); Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid CF); Gerard Piqué (Spain, FC Barcelona); Sergio Ramos(Spain, Real Madrid CF ); Thiago Silva (Brazil, Paris St-Germain FC); Raphaël Varane (France, Real Madrid CF); Nemanja Vidić (Serbia, Manchester United FC); Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina, Manchester City FC).

Midfielders:

Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid CF); Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur FC/Real Madrid CF);Sergio Busquets (Spain, FC Barcelona); Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool FC); Andrés Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona); Isco (Spain, Málaga CF/ Real Madrid CF); Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid CF/Arsenal FC); Andrea Pirlo (Italy, Juventus); Marco Reus (Germany, Borussia Dortmund); Franck Ribéry (France, FC Bayern München), Arjen Robben (Netherlands, FC Bayern München); Bastian Schweinsteiger(Germany, FC Bayern München); Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire, Manchester City FC); Arturo Vidal (Chile, Juventus); Xavi  (Spain; FC Barcelona).

Forwards:

Sergio Agüero (Argentina, Manchester City FC); Mario Balotelli (Italy, Manchester City FC/AC Milan); Edinson Cavani (Uruguay, SSC Napoli/Paris Saint-Germain FC); Diego Costa (Spain, Club Atlético de Madrid); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid CF); Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire, Shanghai Shenhua FC/Galatasaray SK); Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Club Atlético de Madrid/AS Monaco FC); Zlatan Ibrahimovi (Sweden, Paris Saint-Germain FC); Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Borussia Dortmund); Mario Mandžukić (Croatia, FC Bayern München); Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona); Neymar (Brazil, Santos FC/FC Barcelona); Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United FC); Luis Suárez (Uruguay, Liverpool FC); Robin van Persie (Netherlands, Manchester United FC).

posted by Emanto Ngaloru Nov 9, 2013.