With the 2014 Ballon d’Or winner now less than two months away from being revealed, we take a look at the 10 best players on Planet Football at present …
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
The little Argentinian genius has not, by his relatively high standards, enjoyed his greatest 12 months on the football field, and yet compared to any other player it would be considered a monumental 2013, but that is just reflective of how highly the forward is rated amongst his peers.
Either way, though, despite currently being injured yet again after suffering a recent hamstring tear, Messi is still considered to be easily the best player in the world, even on one leg at times.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The Portugal international has enjoyed another absolutely stellar season for club and country and is now rightly considered to be one of the favourites to win the prestigious individual award for what would only be the second-ever time in the 28-year-old’s career.
Ronaldo, who will be hoping to help guide his country past Sweden in the second leg of their Fifa World Cup playoff in Stockholm on Tuesday night, may not have won any team trophies in 2012, however, the wide man could not have done much more though on the field of play to ensure los Blancos were triumphant.
Neymar (FC Barcelona)
The new Barcelona forward has enjoyed a wonderful start to his career at Camp Nou after arriving in Catalunya from Brazilian outfit Santos last summer for £50 million, with the 21-year-old having already contributed five goals and nine assists in just his 17 matches for his new team so far in this season.
And with the twinkle-toed attacker also turning in a number of eye-catching displays for the five-time world champions, it has been a brilliant past 12 months for the Brazil international ahead of what is set to be the biggest year in his career.
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
The world’s most expensive player following the Welsh winger’s monumental 100m euros transfer from Tottenham Hotsur to the Liga giants in September, although to be fair to the 24-year-old, he has not looked out of place at all amongst the superstars at the Santiago Bernabeu since he moved to the Spanish capital.
And once Bale does finally reach full fitness after missing most of preseason through a combination of injury and the protracted negotiations that preceded his move to Madrid, then expect the flyer to start taking his game on to another level once again.
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
The current favourite for the Ballon d’Or after a breathtaking past 12 months for his dominant club side, although less so for les Bleus, who now look likely to miss out on next summer’s World Cup finals following their shock 2-0 loss to Ukraine in Kiev on Friday night.
However, for the all-conquering Bavarians, the French wide man has been in imperious form as Bayern won the Bundesliga, German Cup and Uefa Champions League last season, with the 30-year-old being their star performer along the way in their Treble.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain)
Well, the mercurial Sweden international may not now be going to next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil following his side’s 1-0 loss to Portugal at the Stadium of Light in the first leg of their play-off tie on Friday night.
However, the 32-year-old can arguably claim to have scored the most spectacular goal of the past year, with the PSG forward’s sensational first-time volley in the Champions League against Anderlecht recently being one of four strikes on the night from the player in what has been yet another high-quality 12 months for Ibra.
Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Mr Consistency personified has been at it again so far in 2012, barely putting a foot wrong for either club or country.
However, it was for Bayern that the versatile defender really shone, with Lahm leading his club side to an historic Treble of league, cup and European Cup that had never before been achieved in Germany.
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain)
Still the world’s pre-eminent centre back, with Spanish champions Barcelona remaining desperate to sign the coveted Brazilian.
And with a World Cup to come on the Brazil international’s home soil next summer, expect the 29-year-old’s reputation to soar even higher after the global show-piece event.
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
The best and most deadly penalty-box operator in the Premier League on the evidence available from the past 12 months, and perhaps even in the world too.
‘Kun’, who is wanted by just about every club in Europe, most definitely is a forward on form at the moment, with a real eye for goal on the back of what has been a prolific season for both club and country.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Reds fans will tell you the Uruguay attacker is the best player in the world, especially after the 2012 the controversial attacker has had on Merseyside, and it would be hard to argue with them.