We take a look at just who the 10 best players currently are on Planet Football as the announcement of the winner of the 2013 Ballon d’Or fast approaches …
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Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
The winner of four straight Fifa Ballon d’Or awards between 2009 and 2012 and the undisputed best player on the planet, the little Argentinian genius has been tearing up defences in La Liga for almost 10 years now, and he looks hungry to carry on destroying teams for another decade and more being just 26 years of age.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The powerful Portuguese appears to have now reached the top of his game at the Santiago Bernabeu, perhaps even finally being on a par with his great rival from Camp Nou, after four campaigns in the Spanish capital of the very highest quality, with the 28-year-old surely in with a great chance of adding to his one and only Ballon d’Or win back in 2008 at next month’s awards.
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
The flying Welsh wide man moved to los Blancos last summer from Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur in a world-record transfer worth a staggering 100 million euros, however, the 24-year-old has not disappointed so far in his short time in La Liga, with Bale more than living up to his hefty price tag.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Maybe on current form, the world’s best footballer and if not, then certainly the Uruguay attacker is right up there with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo judging by the forward’s eye-catching displays for Premier League outfit Liverpool so far in this calendar year, a 12 months in which the 26-year-old has at times been simply unplayable.
Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Ask anyone at the Allianz Arena, and they will tell you that the world’s best player this year has been Bayern’s impish midfield creator, with the France international having been especially outstanding in the Bavarian giants’ remarkable record-breaking season last time out, when they claimed both the Uefa Champions League and the Bundesliga and Cup double back at home.
Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona)
The Catalans’ diminutive ball-playing midfield player is often overlooked when such discussions take place, although there are few better in his position at present in the world, with the Spaniard’s brilliant close control, vision and accurate passing the stand-out characteristics of his breathtaking game.
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain)
The silky-smooth Brazilian centre half is considered by most judges and experts alike to be the most accomplished defender on Planet Football at present, which is why the mega-rich Ligue 1 club were prepared to splash out an eyebrow-raising 42m euros to lure the 29-year-old from AC Milan to the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2012, with the player having since proved to be worth every single penny of that whopping transfer fee.
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
The captain of both Spain and Madrid may currently be spending more time warming the substitutes’ bench than actually keeping goal at the Santiago Bernabeu, however, that does not mean that the brilliant shot stopper is still not the best in his profession in the world.
Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco)
Is there a better, more deadly or prolific penalty-box operator currently playing than the Colombia international? Well the answer has to be ‘no’, as every team that the 27-year-old plays for, he ends up finding the back of the net with great regularity, meaning that most of the Continent are now trying to lure Falcao away from the South of France.
Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
The ever-reliable Bayern and Germany skipper is so good, that you can use him in any position on the field of play and he will be comfortable, as has been seen of late after new Munch head coach Pep Guardiola switched the full back into an unfamiliar holding midfield role. And already the 30-year-0ld looks to be totally at ease as a water carrier.
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