Ballon d'Or 2013 Finalists: Ranking All 23 Nominees and Predicting the Winner

A total of 23 names reside on the Ballon d'Or 2013 shortlist, but as we gear up for the awarding of football's most sought-after individual prize on Jan. 13, 2014, a handful of players outshine the rest.

In a bid to separate the contenders from the pretenders, we've ranked the 23 nominees and attempted to determine who will take the trophy.

1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal
2	Franck Ribery	France
3	Lionel Messi	Argentina
4	Zlatan Ibrahimovic	Sweden
5	Neymar	Brazil
6	Bastian Schweinsteiger	Germany
7	Gareth Bale	Wales
8	Radamel Falcao	Colombia
9	Philipp Lahm	Germany
10	Luis Suarez	Uruguay
11	Robin van Persie	Netherlands
12	Robert Lewandowski	Poland
13	Thomas Muller	Germany
14	Edinson Cavani	Uruguay
15	Arjen Robben	Netherlands
16	Manuel Neuer	Germany
17	Andres Iniesta	Spain
18	Thiago Silva	Brazil
19	Mesut Ozil	Germany
20	Andrea Pirlo	Italy
21	Yaya Toure	Ivory Coast
22	Xavi	Spain
23	Eden Hazard	Belgium

Analysing the Top Three

Third Place: Lionel Messi, Argentina

It's perhaps inconceivable to suggest Messi isn't going to win the Ballon d'Or for an unprecedented fifth time.

How can you suppress the achievements of a global icon who notched 46 goals in La Liga last season? This was 12 higher than Cristiano Ronaldo's total, reported by Yahoo! EuroSport, but this season Messi has lost some of his spark.

Sure, an injury-ravaged campaign has still seen him score 14 goals in as many appearances, per WhoScored.com. However, despite consecutively scoring against each of La Liga's teams, reported by BBC Sport, a busy schedule has taken its toll on the Argentinian hero as we head into 2014.

As noted in UEFA's official report, a third muscle-related injury rules him out until after Christmas.

This is where the real difference comes in. With limited chances to shine before voting closes, Messi has been unable to match the contribution of Franck Ribery and Cristiano Ronaldo as we head toward the ceremony.

While both of his counterparts continue to make headlines with match-winning displays, Messi's name is currently linked with injury, tiredness, and a so-called goal drought that previously saw him score one in five games before he eventually hit the recovery table.

Runner-up: Franck Ribery, France

Ribery is the most successful player in the top three if we're talking about silverware across the past year, a factor that will see him receive many votes.

The French international was an instrumental part of Bayern Munich's treble-winning campaign, scoring 11 goals and providing 18 assists on the club's route to capturing Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Champions League glory, per ESPN FC.

Despite trailing many contenders on the list in the goals department, Ribery is confident he has done enough to claim the individual accolade, per Le Monde and via Hannah Duncan of Metro:

"

I am confident. I have done all I had to. If you look at my performances all year long, I have made the difference. I may not score in every match but I set the defences on fire.

Ronaldo certainly scores more than I do, but we don’t have the same style.

"

One factor against Bayern players is their stunning success in Jupp Heynckes' final season came down to a terrific team ethic, and not an individual star. This may count against Ribery, who doesn't win as many matches on his own as Ronaldo or Messi.

Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

The start to this season sums up everything you need to know about Ronaldo.

He has 25 goals in 18 appearances since Sep. 1 for Real Madrid, a figure that includes four hat-tricks and a ratio of two goals every game in the Champions League, per WhoScored.com.

The former Manchester United man added to his spectacular run with all four goals in Portugal's two-legged World Cup qualifying playoff against Sweden, producing another hat-trick in the second tie.

Of course, the Ballon d'Or process covers the entire year's worth of play, so Ronaldo's recent run of form isn't going to land him the prize by itself—even if it does amplify his achievements in Messi's absence.

Luckily, 34 goals in last year's La Liga and seven in Madrid's run to the Copa Del Rey final help cement his claim as the best player on the planet.

Ronaldo has consistently had an edge to his play and repeatedly shown the match-winning ability to thrust Madrid beyond any opponent, exactly like Messi has across the past four years.

Unfortunately for the Argentinian star, his Real Madrid rival deserves to have his name inscribed on the golden trophy this year.

Ronaldo has finally toppled the man who has kept him at arm's reach for so long, suggesting next year's sprint for the Ballon d'Or will be even more exciting.

Follow @Nakerman