Barcelona duo, Lionel Messi and Neymar, and Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, have been shortlisted for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.
The prize is the most prestigious individual player award in the game and the three were chosen from a longer list of 23.
Messi is the favourite to land the accolade for the fifth time – more than any other player – after a successful treble campaign with Barcelona.
Ronaldo is looking to defend his crown and draw level with the Argentine for overall wins, but the Portuguese skipper has already conceded defeat to rival, Messi.
“To be honest I think Messi is going to win this year because this kind of trophy, it depends on votes,” the former Manchester United forward said in November.
“You win competitions, you win the Champions League you win the league in terms of individual. I did probably the best season of my career which is good and I was the highest scorer in Europe [but] it’s all about votes.
“It is difficult and to be honest I am not very worried about that because as I said many times, I never thought I would win three times to be honest.”
For Neymar, it is the first time he has made the final shortlist and is reward for his outstanding year for Barcelona, in which has already scored 41 times.
The final three-man Ballon d’Or shortlist does not include a single Premier League player for the sixth straight time, while it is a decade since an Englishman last made the final three (Frank Lampard in 2005).
The winner will be revealed at a gala ceremony in Zurich on January 11.
