... as the nominees for the 2009 Fifa World Player of the Year are announced.
Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto`o have all been shortlisted for the prestigious annual award.
They are among 23 players in the running to win the prize, with the winner revealed on 21 December.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi is the strong favourite ahead of last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now at Real Madrid.
George Weah is the only African to have won the award to date. Walking away with the crown in 1995 when he played for AC Milan.
The prizes are voted for by the captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams and at the beginning of December Fifa will announce the names of the five men who have received the most votes.
The winners will then be revealed at the 19th Fifa World Player Gala at the Zurich Kongresshaus on Monday 21 December.
Nominees for 2009 Fifa World Player of the Year award:Michael Ballack (Germany), Chelsea
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Juventus
Iker Casillas (Spain), Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Real Madrid
Diego (Brazil), Juventus
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Chelsea
Michael Essien (Ghana), ChelseaSamuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Inter MilanSteven Gerrard (England), Liverpool
Thierry Henry (France), Barcelona
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Barcelona
Andres Iniesta (Spain), Barcelona
Kaka (Brazil), Real Madrid
Frank Lampard (England), Chelsea
Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Sevilla
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Barcelona
Carles Puyol (Spain), Barcelona
Franck Ribery (France), Bayern Munich
Wayne Rooney (England), Manchester United
John Terry (England), Chelsea
Fernando Torres (Spain), Liverpool
David Villa (Spain), Valencia
Xavi (Spain), Barcelona
