Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer battle for Ballon D'Or 2014-2015

Baku. 12 January. REPORT.AZ/ The International Federation of Association Football awards the 'best player of the year' with the FIFA Ballon d'Or, Report informs.

Past winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are again the leading contenders for the FIFA Ballon d'Or as the world's best player.

Award ceremony of Ballon D'Orto be held in Zyrich, Switzerland at 20:00 Baku time.

The original Ballon d'Or, which translates as 'the Golden Ball', was an association football award presented to the European player to have shown the best performance in the previous year. A change of rules in 1995 extended the eligibility of the award to non-European players if they were enlisted with a European club. Since 2007, all professional players, no matter where they come from or who they play for, could be nominated.

Coaches, captains and journalists cast their votes each year for their favourite players. Players are judged not only on their technical skills but also on their sociability and disposition.

This year's the Ballon d'Or is awarded to either Portugal forward top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina forward Lionel Messi or Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.