The winners of the men and women’s Ballon d’Or will be announced this evening as the football world pays homage to its biggest and best stars.
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi is favourite to take the men’s prize for a record sixth time but Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is expected to provide strong competition.
The defender, a cornerstone of Liverpool’s Champions League success last season and Uefa Player of the Year, came second to Messi in the voting for Fifa’s World Player of the Year in September.
Meanwhile, England pair Lucy Bronze and Ellen White are both in the mix to be named the winners of the women’s Ballon d’Or.
Ada Hegerberg, Vivianne Miedema, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe have also been named on the shortlist.
When is it?
The ceremony is due to get under way at 7.30pm (BST).
Where will it be held?
Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet will be staging the event.
Where can I watch it?
The France Football website will broadcast the ceremony.
Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (SEN/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (ARG/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (NED/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (FRA/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (SER/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (FRA/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (ENG/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (NED/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GER/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Juventus), Alisson (BRA/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (NED/Juventus), Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (NED/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (NED/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (POR/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (KOR/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (POL/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (BRA/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (ALG/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (BEL/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (SEN/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (FRA/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (EGY/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (BRA/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (ENG/Manchester City), Joao Félix(POR/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (AUS/Chelsea), Ellen White (ENG/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (SWE/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (FRA/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(ENG/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (NED/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (GER/Lyon), Pernille Harder (DEN/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (FRA/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (NED/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (NED/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (FRA/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (BRA/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (NOR/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (SWE/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (SWE/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
Past winners
Men’s Ballon d’Or
2018 Luka Modric
2017 Cristiano Ronaldo
2016 Cristiano Ronaldo
2015 Lionel Messi
2014 Cristiano Ronaldo
2013 Cristiano Ronaldo
2012 Lionel Messi
2011 Lionel Messi
2010 Lionel Messi
Women’s Ballon d’Or (first initiated in 2018)
2018 Ada Hegerberg
