APL

Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or as the world player of year. Only one of them will hear their name called as the winner during today’s gala in Zurich.

For Messi, this is the ninth consecutive year he has been named a finalist for the award, the most coveted individual prize in world football. Messi is going for his fifth Ballon d'Or, a jaw-dropping feat considering the fact that in the history of the award, he is the only person to have won it more than three times.

Statistically, he had an awesome year, scoring 52 goals and collecting 26 assists in 61 games for club and country.More important than that, the Argentine played a pivotal role in Barcelona winning five major trophies during 2015—foremost among them being the Champions League—and securing its second treble.

Four other players have won it exactly three times — Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van BastenandCristiano Ronaldo— while just five other players have ever won it twice.
This is the first time in Neymar’s career that he has cracked the short list.

Messi and Ronaldo have scooped up every Ballon d'Or for the last seven years. That number is almost certain to rise to eight on Monday.