And my FIFA World Player of the Year is...

FIFA announced a list of 23 nominations for their World Player of the Year award.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid and Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg and Russia), Michael Ballack (Chelsea and Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus and Italy), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid and Spain), Deco (Chelsea and Portugal), Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona and Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal and Spain), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool and England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan and Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona and Spain), Kaka (AC Milan and Brazil), Frank Lampard (Chelsea and England), Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich and France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Portugal), John Terry (Chelsea and England), Fernando Torres (Liverpool and Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid and Netherlands), David Villa (Valencia and Spain) and Xavi (Barcelona and Spain).

If it were up to me, I'd narrow that list down to the following:

• Iker Casillas (Real Madrid and Spain)
• Michael Ballack (Chelsea and Germany)
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan and Sweden)
• Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich and France)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Portugal)
• Fernando Torres (Liverpool and Spain)
• Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid and the Netherlands)
• David Villa (Valencia and Spain)

If I'd cut that further, I'd say the award is a toss up between Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres (with the likely winner being Ronaldo).

Cheers!