On January 12, 2015 one of these three footballers will receive the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or prize on the podium. Will it be Real Madrid and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona and Argentina's Lionel Messi or Bayern Munich and Germany's Manuel Neuer?
Hard luck for Thomas Mueller, Arjen Robben and all the other players who made the Suarez-less 23-man shortlist!
Since 2008, Messi and Ronaldo have formed a sort of duopoly. The score is 4-2 with La Pulga claiming the title as many as four times and CR7 ending his rival's four-year domination back in January 2014.
It would take something special for Neuer, best known for his daring manner of saving shots from outside the penalty box, to end the Messi-Ronaldo domination.
With 20 goals in only 13 La Liga matches, Real Madrid's number 7 icon has no intention of slowing down. At 29, he keeps going strong. He is poised to close the gap on Barcelona's number 10 talisman by claiming his third Ballon d'Or award.
Whether or not his failure to shine at the World Cup in Brazil will cost him remains to be seen.
For the 2014 FIFA Puskas Award, World Cup goals by James Rodriguez (vs Uruguay) and Robin van Persie (vs Spain) are among the Top Three.
Meanwhile, the World Coach of the Year award will go to either Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid, Joachim Loew of Germany or Diego Simeone of Atletico de Madrid.
