Messi tipped for Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi is favourite to land the 2009 European Footballer of the Year today in France after helping Barcelona to win treble last season.

The Argentine whiz-kid crowned a remarkable season by scoring one of Barca's two goals that wrecked Manchester United in May as the Spanish Champions secured their third Champions League crown to add to the La Liga and the Copa del Rey titles they won in the 2008/2009 campaign. He netted 38 goals in all competitions and accounted for 16 assists to brings those laurels to the Blaugrana, as Barcelona are called.

It was an impressive statistic that highlights the steady rise in profile the skilful winger has enjoyed after emerging the Most Valuable Player and clinching the Golden Boot awards at the 2005 World Youth Championship in Holland. Still only 22, Messi is the most dreaded youngster in the game and it would not come as a surprise to many if he is crowned the Ballon d'Or winner today.

To further underline his meteoric rise, Messi came third place behind Kaka and current holder, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and emerged runner up behind the Portuguese last year. The Barcelona midfielder has continued from where he left off last season after scoring seven times and setting up four goals in the ongoing Primeira Liga campaign. And coming up against Ronaldo in their El-Classico battle last weekend at Camp Nou, Messi had the last laugh as he propelled his side to a lone goal victory over rivals Real Madrid.

The only snag to his impressive scorecard is that he has yet to replicate his club form for the Argentine national team. But after his country managed to secure their place at next year's World Cup in South Africa, Messi has another opportunity to show the world what he is capable of doing for his country at the biggest stage.

Other contenders

Messi's teammates Andreas Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, both of whom also played key roles in Barca's UEFA Champions League success last season, are also in contention for the Ballon d' Or award. Others are Ronaldo, Kaka, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Zlatan Ibrahimovic while the duo of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o also made the top 10 shortlist.

Our stars are absent

While Cameroun and Cote d'Ivoire are represented by Eto'O and Drogba respectively, Nigerian players are no where to be found and that sums up the rating of our players in Europe, compared with their African counterparts. Ghana's Michael Essien made the initial shortlist and it was no surprising to hear Cote D'Ivoire's Yaya Touré rating both Ghana and Cameroun as the two African countries who are likely to impress at the World Cup in South Africa, apart from his national team - the Elephants.

"Ghana, definitely Ghana," he said of Africa's chances, on FIFA.com. "They are a good team and they play with so much intensity. I think they are also going to surprise a lot of people at the World Cup. I also rate Cameroon; historically, they have always been a good side."