The 23-man shortlist to be crowned the world's No 1...

Five Premier League stars and Gareth Bale, who moved from Spurs to Real Madrid in the summer, are among the contenders for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award. The 23-man shortlist for the prestigious world player of the year award was announced early on Tuesday morning, with the winner to be unveiled on January 13 in Zurich.

Ballon d'Or shortlist

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/Wales)
Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich/Germany)
Thomas Muller (B Munich/Germany) 
Manuel Neuer (B Munich/Germany) 
Bastian Schweinsteiger (B Munich/Germany)
Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/Germany)
Robin van Persie (Man United/Netherlands)
Arjen Robben (B Munich/Netherlands) 
Edinson Cavani (PSG/Uruguay)
Luis Suarez (Liverpool/Uruguay)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain)
Xavi (Barcelona/Spain)
Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil)
Thiago Silva (PSG/Brazil)
Radamel Falcao (Monaco/Colombia)
Andrea Pirlo (Juventus/Italy)
Franck Ribery (B Munich/France)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Belgium)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG/Sweden)
Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund/Poland)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)

Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi has won the award for the last four years, with Bale's Madrid team-mate Ronaldo consistently his nearest challenger.

Franck Ribery, who was named UEFA's best player in Europe for the 2012-13 season after helping Bayern Munich win the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup, is another prominent name on the shortlist.

Ribery is joined by club-mates Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger while Barcelona also have Xavi, Andres Iniesta and summer signing Neymar among the candidates.

Paris St Germain trio Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva have made the shortlist while fellow Ligue 1 big-spenders Monaco have a contender of their own in Radamel Falcao, acquired from Atletico Madrid in the close season.

Ballon d'Or winners

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)