Ballon D'or

It's this time of year again. The time of year when the most prized personal accolade any footballer could have is handed out. The Ballon D'Or. With the shortlist trimmed to just 23 proficient professionals, I will take a look at the top contenders for this prestigious prize.

Lionel Messi.

It seems only fitting to start with the holder and four time winner, Lionel Messi. The Argentinian wizard has scored 45 goals in 46 appearances -a long way from breaking the record he set last year, but most strikers these days would be delighted with 45 goals in a calendar year. The impact that the Argentine has on Barcelona is evident as with his injury Barca have only collected 3 points in their last 3 games. Poor by the high standards set by the Blaugrana . Messi is looking to win the award for the 5th time on the bounce, a feat that will probably never happen again, if it occurs.

Gareth Bale.

Having just completed a record-breaking move to Real Madrid in the summer, Gareth Bale is certainly in contention for the award. Although not on the same level for goal scoring as Ronaldo or Messi are, I can see the Welshman being a dark horse as he carried a Spurs' side to fifth, a point behind arch rivals Arsenal. Now at Madrid, Bale has made a rampant start to his career in the Spanish capital by netting 9 goals in 13 appearances along with assisting 6 times. A good way to silence the doubters, and an even more of a statement if he does well in the Ballon D'Or.

Cristiano Ronaldo.

Quite possibly the favourite for the award and my own personal winner, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 67 goals this year with an average of 1.18 goals per match, but was unable to prevent El Clasico rivals Barcelona from retaining the title. With having finished second to Lionel Messi for the past four years, Ronaldo will be hoping to turn the tables and come out on top this time around. The 2008 winner, has enjoyed a sparkling season and has drawn hints from fans that this year has been his best to date.

Franck Ribery.

Franck Ribery stands a great chance in claiming the Ballon D'Or after several scintillating performances earned him Best Player in Europe for 2013 by UEFA. Already with 9 goals and 7 assists in 17 games this season, Ribery himself is confident in grabbing the trophy from the paws of Messi and Ronaldo as Munich find themselves top of the Bundesliga table by four points and seem to be heading for their second consecutive title. The Frenchman has enjoyed a mass of success in this calendar year by picking up 3 trophies and having a chance to claim and 4th at the Club World Cup. Definitely a contender for the top prize.

Xavi/Iniesta.

Two names have remained the same over the past few years and that's Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. Like Jack and Jill, where one name is mentioned, the other will follow behind. Both Spaniards have been vital ingredients to Barcelona's all-conquering team and guided the Blaugrana to further domestic success last season. Xavi, now 33, is still capable of threading a delightful ball through the eye of a needle for Messi or Sanchez to latch onto and bury it. Iniesta is one of the players that seems to of been around for ages yet is surprisingly 29 years of age. Arguably at the peak of his playing career, Iniesta's trickery and agility means he can ghost past players effortlessly.

The rest of the candidates are Falcao, Eden Hazard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Philipp Lahm, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Neymar, Mesut Ozil, Andrea Pirlo, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luis Suarez, Thiago Silva, Yaya Toure, Robin Van Persie, Edinson Cavani.

Sepp Blatter has even commented that this year will be tighter than ever, with at least 3 players all standing a real chance in claiming the award. The winner will be announced at the FIFA Ballon D'Or gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on the 13 January.