Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola (left), Barcelona's Luis Enrique and Chile's Jorge Sampaoli have been shortlisted for FIFA coach of the year honors. AFP

Overwhelming favorite

The only time in the past seven years when they did not finish 1-2 was in 2010, when the Barcelona trio of Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi swept the podium.

Messi is an overwhelming favorite to lift the trophy again for a fifth time after a calendar year in which, despite losing two months to injury, he has still scored 48 goals while inspiring Barca to a Champions League/La Liga/King's Cup treble.

Ronaldo, too, has 48 goals to his name for club and country in 2015, but Real's fortunes have slumped and his repeated assurances on the talk show circuit that he is still the world's best player have held just a little less conviction than usual.

On his present scintillating form, Brazilian Neymar, Messi's partner in destruction along with Luis Suarez at Barca, has a claim on being the equal of either of them.

The Ballon d'Or vote has been made by national team coaches and captains and leading journalists, with the winner being announced at a ceremony in Zurich on Jan 11.

Enrique, who coaches Messi and Neymar at Barcelona, heads the short list for the coach of year award, along with Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola and Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli.

Guardiola's inclusion was possibly a surprise as Bayern Munich's only trophy last season was the Bundesliga - the very minimum that would have been expected - although his team's form this term has been nothing short of magnificent.

Sampaoli, an Argentine, was included after leading Chile to its first Copa America title, which it won at home after beating Argentina on penalties in the final.

World Cup-winning captain Carli Lloyd (USA/Houston Dash), Aya Miyama (Japan/Okayama Yunogo Belle) and Celia Sasic (Germany/FFC Frankfurt) are in the running for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award.

And Jill Ellis (US/US national team), Mark Sampson (Wales/English national team) and Norio Sasaki (Japan/Japanese national team) are the final trio to battle it out for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women's Football award.

Past Ballon d'Or winners

1956: Stanley Matthews (ENG)

1957: Alfredo di Stefano (ESP)

1958: Raymond Kopa (FRA)

1959: Alfredo di Stefano (ESP)

1960: Luis Suarez (ESP)

1961: Omar Sivori (ITA)

1962: Josef Masopust (CZE)

1963: Lev Yachine (USSR)

1964: Denis Law (SCO)

1965: Eusebio (POR)

1966: Bobby Charlton (ENG)

1967: Florian Albert (HUN)

1968: George Best (NIR)

1969: Gianni Rivera (ITA)

1970: Gerd Mueller (GER)

1971: Johan Cruyff (NED)

1972: Franz Beckenbauer (GER)

1973: Johan Cruyff (NED)

1974: Johan Cruyff (NED)

1975: Oleg Blokhine (USSR)

1976: Franz Beckenbauer (GER)

1977: Alan Simonsen (DEN)

1978: Kevin Keegan (ENG)

1979: Kevin Keegan (ENG)

1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER)

1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER)

1982: Paolo Rossi (ITA)

1983: Michel Platini (FRA)

1984: Michel Platini (FRA)

1985: Michel Platini (FRA)

1986: Igor Belanov (USSR)

1987: Ruud Gullit (NED)

1988: Marco van Basten (NED)

1989: Marco van Basten (NED)

1990: Lothar Matthaeus (GER)

1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (FRA)

1992: Marco van Basten (NED)

1993: Roberto Baggio (ITA)

1994: Hristo Stoichkov (BUL)

1995: George Weah (LBR)

1996: Matthias Sammer (GER)

1997: Ronaldo (BRA)

1998: Zinedine Zidane (FRA)

1999: Rivaldo (BRA)

2000: Luis Figo (POR)

2001: Michael Owen (ENG)

2002: Ronaldo (BRA)

2003: Pavel Nedved (CZE)

2004: Andrei Shevchenko (UKR)

2005: Ronaldinho (BRA)

2006: Fabio Cannavaro (ITA)

2007: Kaka (BRA)

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

2009: Lionel Messi (ARG)

2010: Lionel Messi (ARG)

2011: Lionel Messi (ARG)

2012: Lionel Messi (ARG)

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)