Who’s going to win it? Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery were announced as the final three nominees for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award. The winner of this prestigious award will be revealed at a FIFA gala in Zurich on January 13, 2014.
Lionel Messi
The Argentinean captain is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or and has won it a record number of four times, but it has been a difficult year for him. A string of injuries have hampered his progress following on from 2012 in which he scored 91 goals. Despite them, he had won the La Liga with Barcelona in May for a sixth time.
Statistics (club & country):
Appearances: 46
Goals: 45
Assists: 17
Franck Ribery
As frustration soared for the Frenchman in 2012 as finished runners-up in the Bundesliga, German Cup and UEFA Champions League, the pacy winger helped his club win all of those tournaments in 2013, with the addition of the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. The UEFA Player of the Year also helped his country to a last-gasp qualification to the World Cup in Brazil next summer.
Statistics (club & country):
Appearances: 51
Goals: 22
Assists: 19
Cristiano Ronaldo
The 28 year old forward is arguably the world’s form player as the year is about to come to end, with his incredible hat-trick in Portugal’s World Cup playoff against Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden leaving football fans around the world in awe. He had previously won the award once back in 2008 with Manchester United after winning the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Statistics (club & country):
Appearances: 59
Goals: 69
Assists: 17
