So,

The 3 have made to the shortlist... I dont even know what to say.

I think Neuer should win this, definitely, he has been amazing in both club and world cup level, and he is the world champion.

Ronaldo, has been an insane scoring machine, but failed miserably with Portugal, let's dont blame his team mates there.

Messi disappear at time and had a below-his-standard season, but have a very decent World cup, you can say all you want but he's the main reason Argentina is that far.

Robben should have been there, he's the ONE and ONLY reason the Dutch perform so amazing in the world cup. I wouldn't mind if Ronaldo or Messi is out of the top 3.

I am as disappointed as last year extension (take NOTHING away from Ronaldo, I just find it ridiculous to extend like that). Not because I think either of the 3 are not deserve, more like I feel disappointed because Robben isn't there.

^^Huh what does it matter where he comes from? Of course he would still have won it.

The thing is it's neck and neck between Neuer and Ronaldo, the 2 sides can argue all they want, "Ronaldo scored 2 past Neuer" so what? Neuer might be the best keeper in the world but that doesn't mean he needs to keep a clean sheet every single match, goal keepers conceded goals, sometimes people score hat tricks past them, they are judged more on the consistency of their performances, speed of distribution, command of penalty area, ability to read opposing teams attacking play(why Neuer is a great sweeper keeper) and stuff like that.

Ronaldo on the other hand is a scoring machine, but that doesn't mean he has to score everytime he plays(although he pretty much does) but when he strikes a blank does that mean he's failed or because he scored past Neuer does that mean he deserves the Ballon 'd'or more?

Any team in the world that had Ronaldo would rely on him for goals, where would Madrid be these days without the goals that have won matches for them? Without his leadership on the pitch, they would still be a successful club but would be a lot worse off without him.

I couldn't choose between the 2, they both deserve it this year, my gut tells me it will go to Ronaldo but i want Neuer to win it because he has been equally as impressive.

Well I agree with you 100% however I beileive ronaldo deserves it. However figs should create an award specially for keepers since it is very difficult for a goal keeper to be in the top 3 alone.

In 2010 casillas has been performing just like neur winning the world cup and copa del rey however he wasn't even placed in the top 10

So a trophy like golden glove will be nice and will give keepers a better chance to win it

But not placing robben in the top 3 is pathetic, in fact messi has played great in the world cup but no differ with robben.

World cup:
Messi=Robben

Respective club
Robben>messi

I don't know how messi got the better of robben but oh well.

Exactly, Robben's miss makes this award a joke.

Ronaldo had 1 big test and he failed. Btw, in CL Ramos was the one who saved Real in the final, not Ronaldo. But having said that. Ronaldo for the club level, noone can beat him. Except Neuer, he's close.

Some of you said: 3 games shouldn't decide his performance, well this is for national pride, the biggest tournament on earth and a player HAS TO get out of his comfort zone, without his amazing team mates and had to shine. Ronaldo failed horribly, Neuer and Robben shined.

Neuer just has to win.

Robben had amazing teammates, messi had amazing teammates, neur had amazing teammates, neymar had amazing teammates, the only player who shined, without amazing teammates was James Rodriguez

So by that logic James should win balloon d'or

And yes ronaldo has **** teammates, if anyone saw portugals match they will see that none of the players were even trying to win we had a draw vs USA with a lucky goal from Nani and a header from which came from an amazing cross by ronaldo.

Our final match against Ghana came from an own goal and a lucky goal from ronaldo.

Nevertheless the best player of Portugal was ronaldo, so yes judging him for 3 games in which he was injured is complete nonsense

Ronaldo deserves it. Neuer had a good world cup, thats it. If Neuer should win it, then why didn't Casillas win it in 2010¿ He conceded 2 less goals in his World Cup win, and he wasn't even nominated, Ronaldo won EVERY individual award, and thats why he deserves it. Because of 7 matches in the WC being played amazingly, it doesn't justify an award for "BEST PLAYER OF 2014" and that was Ronaldo. I'm sorry, but it was. Anyone who disagrees is either bias, or just hates Ronaldo, and knows nothing about football. Compare INDIVIDUAL trophies, that Ronaldo won in 2014, with Messi, and Neuer. Ronaldo won everything, while Messi and Neuer barely one any, or none as a matter of fact, I do support Real Madrid, but when Messi has deserved the Ballon D Or over Ronaldo, I have admitted it. But this year, Ronaldo was the best, then the 2nd and 3rd place can be discussed, but Ronaldo is the best player in the world in this current stage, and it would be a disgrace from FIFA, if CR7 didn't win it this year as well.

it should be Cristiano, Robben and Neuer. Messi was terrible this year.

Ronaldo > Neuer, simple as that.

@Marcus Cannavaro won it in 2006, they took a player from the winning team of WC. Thats how it worked when the vote went to the press. Since 2010 and the fusion with Fifa, its coaches and National teams captains who vote, and they seem to vote for the best performer of the year even in a World cup year.

Messi's only there cos he's now the all-time highest scorer, which I now think is a safe idea for him to be nominated. Really sad though, cos if he wasn't, my vote would definitely go to Robben.

Football is a team work . And one player may shine better than others and drag the team but in the end it is a team work. Why is it Ronaldo's fault that his teammates at the World Cup gave 50% ?

@tuan you want to say that Ronaldo failed that test ? That He is not comfortable to get out of his comfort zone ? May I remind you , that you are talking about a player who moved from Portugal to England then from England to Spain from all the comforts and soon probably looking for another big move . He constantly challenges himself and gets himself out of his comfort zone .

And yes CL is invested cash teams . Basically dream teams which are harder to beat . Now is it easier for Messi ( just throwing an example , please no one start messi argument vs chelsea ) to score against John Terry, Ivanovic, Azpi and Cahil or against English defense ? These players are like brothers in arms they are practice every day together and know each other well . That is why quality of defending is much better because of chemistry . Chemistry is very important in a team . That sets the quality of the play and understanding or reading of the game much better than at WC by players . When we are talking about individual award that is influenced by performance of the player at WC we can't blame a player for bad performance when his teammates did not perform well . This year it perfectly applies to Ronaldo . That is why CL and Domestic competition performances should be taken into account when deciding winner. Can you argue that Ronaldo would not perform well in Spain national team or Germany or Holland or Argentina along side Messi ? Unlucky to have Portugal just like Luis Figo was unlucky to have Portugal in his golden days .

Just like superstar may disappear some "nobody" can appear to be star and go back to being nobody after tournament. Lord Bendthner is fantastic when he played for Denmark in EURO , but damn it he was shit in Arsenal . Chicharito ignites like a light playing for Mexico but yet could not secure starting line up at United . etc.

@tiki

I meant to say that Zidane was the one who was robbed .

*by english defense , i meant current Englands national team . It wont let me edit .

And I agree that Robben should have been on the list rather than Messi , but it would have been embarrassment for FIFA to exclude best player of WC ( who did not deserved it ) out of the Dors final 3.

INTERESTING THOUGHT GUYS

The absolute voting deadline was 21st november, haha funny. because Messi scored a hattrick the day after vs Sevilla and another hattrick vs Apoel a few more days after.

(not that I think this would matter, Messi still wouldnt have a chance, but still pretty funny)

And also, since the deadline was already, does this mean FIFA nows the answer of who will win?

Anyways it will be,

1. Ronaldo
2. Neuer
3. Messi

@Marcus: you misunderstood my point. I am NO WAY saying Ronaldo can't cope with "out-of-comfort-zone" he has proven that he's more than just capable of doing it, he nails it like a boss.

My point was, World Cup is a hardest test for any player where they have to get out of their comfort zones and prove themselves in a short time span. They would have prove a lot of other things, leading, thriving for another level of success. The fact that they have to play with different teammates, style, weak support is hard.

Compare WC and CL is ridiculous.

I agree 100% with @Marcus here. +1

How on earth did Robben been better than Messi the whole year, could someone explain or give facts ? He was one of the best in WC unlike CR7 so why would Robben included and Messi excluded ?

Club and Country : Ronaldo 55 goals/ 19 ssists , Messi 52 goals / 22 assists in 2014.
Messi > Ronaldo in World cup so if we were judging players with Rayrex logic than we should give it to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo will win it because his team secured CL and Copa del Rey, and because he got good stats, but dont go crazy and think he rulled the year, Messi have the same stats and some are forgetting it.

@Tiki

Yes, and Messi played more games than Ronaldo, and scored against more irrelevant teams. May I remind you that Messi was invisible in the knockout stages of the World Cup, disappeared in the Copa del Rey, and failed to do anything at all in the Champions League knockout stages (only scored 2 goals).

How the hell are you guys even comparing a goalkeeper to a striker/winger? that is absolutely ridiculous.

Is Man City an irrelevant team ? Was his hattrick at Bernabeu relevent ? If Madrid met Atletico in 2leg confrontations you could have done the same, where was Ronaldo in Copa del rey ? Injured. Where was he against Atletico ? ohh he scored the 4th in PK and took back his shirt. Where was Ronaldo in WC ?
Against Bayern Benz scored the 1-0 at Bernabeu and thanks to Ramos to open space by scoring twice in second leg, when was Ronaldo more decisive than Benz in any Madrid big game ?

Talking about irrelevant goals is funny when you are backing CR7 who's speciality this year is PK, how much did he scored of them this year ? How much tap ins ? who depends on his teams form ?

Most of Ronaldo's goals were the 3 rd, 4th 5th 6th goal of his team, when at the end he is the only one running on the pitch...

Yeah Ronaldo > the world and Messi shouldnt even be nominated, Cristiano fans logic...