Football fans in every corner of the globe are currently engaged in heated debates about who will climb the stage to collect the awards at the eagerly awaited FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich’s glittering Kongresshaus on 11 January 2016.
Who will be named the best players of the year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Neymar? Carli Lloyd, Aya Miyama or Celia Sasic? FIFA.com has gathered quotes from sporting stars both inside and outside the footballing world.
"It’s impossible to pick the best from three top players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. Ronaldo has been in remarkable form for Real for years, always scoring goals, never injured. Messi’s in a similar position, even though he recently had his first extended spell on the sidelines through injury. Neymar has got even better and now seems almost unstoppable. They’re simply playing on another level altogether. The best way to decide the winner of the Ballon d’Or would be to draw one name out of a hat – all three are exceptional."
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, whose team will end 2015 at the summit of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, in an interview with FIFA.com
"I think the USA’s Carli Lloyd will win this year as she managed to score a hat-trick in the Women’s World Cup Final – at such a high level. She has to be rewarded for that performance."
French international Gaetane Thiney on Twitter
"It’ll probably be another battle between Messi, who’s had a strong season, and Ronaldo, who has scored another hatful of goals. I think Ronaldo will win again, a man who calls himself the world’s best player – and who can blame him? (laughs)?"
Former Germany goalkeeper and adidas Golden Ball recipient as the best player at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, Oliver Kahn, in an interview with FIFA.com
"For me, she really is the best player in the world. She’s just phenomenal!"
Irish international and 2014 FIFA Puskás Award nominee Stephanie Roche on former Houston Dash team-mate Carli Lloyd in an interview with FIFA.com
"It’s such a tough decision to make this year. Although Thomas Muller isn’t on the shortlist I think he deserves to be up there too. I think it’ll be Cristiano Ronaldo, because I think he plays for the weaker team compared to the other two. There’s no doubt that they’re both at an extremely high level, but for me Barcelona have the better team and Ronaldo makes such a difference at Real Madrid."
Swiss international Pirmin Schwegler in a FIFA interview
"Carli Lloyd is a fantastic player. She does so much going forward. At the start of the Women’s World Cup she needed that little something to get into her rhythm, but by the end she was very strong. I’ve met her since too and she’s a great person. She’s totally motivated – football is her life and she plays the sport with a huge amount of passion."
US international Gina Lewandowski in conversation with FIFA.com
"I don’t think Lionel Messi’s got as much of a chance now because of his injury, but when he's playing he’s just amazing. This season he’s scored goals and, if you ask me, he’s improved his all-round play. That said, I think Cristiano Ronaldo is just a little bit ahead of Messi because he hasn’t had any injuries."
Turkish international and 2010 FIFA Puskás Award winner Hamit Altintop in an interview with FIFA.com
"It’s difficult to say. You’ve definitely got to take this year’s Women’s World Cup into account, and Carli Lloyd had a fantastic tournament there. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to follow her progress all year, but I think she’s right up there."
Switzerland captain Caroline Abbe in conversation with FIFA.com
"Neymar is flying at the moment, taking on a leadership role in the team. I believe his time has come. It's not that Cristiano Ronaldo is not playing well now, but he's not on the same level as last year. Lionel Messi was doing well but he got injured."
Brazil head coach Dunga in an interview with broadcaster O Globo
"The three candidates are very different individually. Celia Sasic is extremely dangerous up front and a very emotional character on the pitch that never gives up. Aya Miyama is very technical and skilful. She controls and reads the game with her ideas and dominates the rhythm. Carli Lloyd is fascinating. The way she adapted to her new role as US captain at the World Cup, a very difficult situation with huge pressure, was very impressive. I will keep my fingers crossed for Celia, but Carli is the captain of the world champions and therefore she is the favourite."
Nadine Kessler, 2014 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, speaking exclusively to FIFA
"I’m a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, but to be honest Lionel Messi deserves it this year considering his successes with Barcelona in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League. He also reached the Copa America final with Argentina. He definitely deserves the title!"
Moroccan international Younes Belhanda in an interview with FIFA.com
"After this season and the number of title he has won, my favourite for the Ballon d’Or is Lionel Messi!"
French NBA star Nicolas Batum on Twitter
"For me there are two players who have towered above everyone this year – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both have been around since 2007, scoring 30, 40 or 50 goals and providing 20 to 30 assists each and every season. They win certain matches single-handedly and possess a class you just don’t see in this form anywhere else. They deserve their nominations. When two players are so closely matched in terms of performance, it’s the titles they’ve won with their teams that ultimately determine who has their nose in front. Last year Ronaldo justifiably received the award after winning the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid while Barcelona won nothing, and that’s why Messi’s three titles make him the favourite this time around."
Swiss international Stephan Lichtsteiner in conversation with FIFA.com
"Neymar will win the Ballon d'Or in one or two years. Whenever I’m asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because of the ease with which he plays."
Roberto Carlos, a 2002 world champion with Brazil, in an interview with GloboEsporte
"Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have once again scored plenty of goals and won many honours. At the moment I think only those two players are on the same level. Messi has now won the UEFA Champions League again and delivered some fantastic performances in the final stages of the tournament. We’ll see who wins, but I think Lionel Messi will have the edge."
Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri in an interview with FIFA.com
"I would bet on Neymar winning the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2016. I think he’s still growing a lot and I think the growth of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has reached its peak. I really want Neymar to win and break up the era of Ronaldo and Messi, but I think this year it will be between the two of them again."
Brazil’s Ronaldo, a 1994 and 2002 World Cup winner and 1996, 1997 and 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year, in an interview with Reuters
"We understand each other very well out on the pitch, but what’s also amazing is how well we get along off the pitch. None of us thinks we’re better than the others. We see ourselves as mates, not stars. Both Neymar and I know Lionel Messi is the best in the world. Everyone knows that, and we respect that!"
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, who completes Barcelona’s attacking trio alongside Messi and Neymar, in an interview with Spanish radio station COPE
"I think it’s been pretty even this year between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. It’s hard to choose between them. Messi is all natural talent and he's been taking things very seriously lately, as you can see in his physique and the diet he’s following. He could ease off if he wanted to and not train as much, but he wants to carry on being the best. He’s a great example. For a Barça fan like me, Messi is a demigod because he’s given us so much. So I'm going to stick with him, though I also admire how much work and commitment Cristiano puts into getting better every day. He’s spent years looking after himself. You have to admire their ambition. They’re very similar."
Spanish MotoGP superstar Jorge Lorenzo