FIFA have, on Monday evening, announced the final five contenders who will fight for the 2009 World Player of the Year award.
The shortlist of 23 male players which was drafted up by FIFA back in October have been reduced to five nominees following a poll conducted amongst the coaches and team captains from around the world and all five currently play their football in Spain’s La Liga. In alphabetical order, they are:
Andres Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)
Kaka (Brazil & Real Madrid)
Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)
Xavi (Spain & Barcelona)
Female coaches and captains have also voted for their top five candidates for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year:
Cristiane (Brazil)
Inka Grings (Germany)
Marta (Brazil)
Birgit Prinz (Germany)
Kelly Smith (England)
The award will be presented during a gala in Kongresshaus in Zurich on December 21 but this year’s ceremony will include two new categories: The FIFA FIFPro World XI, which will honour the best 11 players of the year as chosen by their over 50,000 of their fellow peers.
There will also be the FIFA Ferenc Puskas Award which will be given to the player who has scored the “most beautiful goal” over the past 12 months.