Ballon d'Or 2013: Top Rivals to Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery

The new year ushers in a fresh start and a chance to look ahead for many people, but the Ballon d'Or is a throwback to what's come and gone, celebrating the football achievements of 2013's brightest individual.

On Jan. 13, fans the world over will find out exactly who's been dubbed the year's best player, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery all front-runners for the award.

However, there are several other deserving claimants to the throne on the Ballon d'Or shortlist, per FIFA.com, many of whom—particularly from treble-winners Bayern Munich—have a justifiable claim to the prize.

Below we take a look at the main men who, if a shock winner emerges, are most likely to upset Ronaldo, Messi and Co.

Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich

Although the Ballon d'Or is a celebration of individual prominence, Bayern Munich were undoubtedly the best team of the year, winning a domestic and a European treble, with captain Philipp Lahm at their forefront.

The likes of Ribery, Arjen Robben, Thomas Mueller and Bastian Schweinsteiger all garner considerable plaudits in Die Roten's squad, but one must consider how less assured a team the Bundesliga giants would be without Lahm in their lineup.

Some may question the 30-year-old's inclusion as a possible Ballon d'Or winner given that he's yet to score a goal in 2013, but the competition itself would be far more boring if scoring was the only criterion concerned.

Over the last 11 months, Lahm has been as calming a presence as they come for Bayern, whether it's in his most natural full-back position or even more recently in midfield under Pep Guardiola.

Lahm missed just one of Bayern's 12 Champions League matches as they triumphed in the European tournament last season, as well as helping the Bundesliga champions boast the sternest defence in the German top flight, conceding an average of just 0.53 goals per game, according to Statto.com.

The Bayern captain is far from the most glamorous of players, but then, the most essential of figures often aren't.

Gareth Bale, Real Madrid

The most expensive player ever to have lived isn't a title that necessarily indicates the biggest talent that ever lived, but Gareth Bale is certainly edging his way towards greatness.

The majority of the Welshman's 2013 was spent at White Hart Lane where, per Transfermarkt.co.uk, Bale scored 18 goals and made 10 assists between January and June for both club and country.

There were evident concerns that the 24-year-old would struggle with the pressure of his £85 million move to Real Madrid, the kind of sum that's likely to be scrutinised with telescopic precision.

However, with six goals and five assists in his first 12 games for Los Merengues, Bale is averaging a direct hand in a goal every match; not bad for a player still adapting to his new, swanky surroundings.

The player is humble, however, and he insists teammate Ronaldo deserves to win the award, per Sky Sports:

It's not just the numbers that make Bale a candidate.

On numerous occasions during his final months with Spurs the attacker was single-handedly responsible for getting the club out of a ditch, able to fashion a chance for others or simply grab the necessary goals himself.

Transfermarkt.co.uk records show that Bale's goals in the latter half of last season alone were responsible for urging Spurs to no less than seven victories.

Wins over West Brom, Newcastle United, Arsenal, West Ham, Swansea City, Southampton and Sunderland were all games won by a margin of just one goal, the Real forward contributing on all of those occasions.

As exciting as they come in terms of potential for flash-in-the-pan brilliance, Bale need only get his volume and statistics up to the levels of Ronaldo and Messi before his remaining critics be convinced.

Thiago Silva, Paris Saint-Germain

Contrary to what recent history would have us believe, defenders are also capable of challenging for the Ballon d'Or.

In an age where the brawny, ball-playing centre-back appears to be a dying breed, Thiago Silva stands as one of the last bastions of the old ways, a throwback to the "Libero" of a time gone past.

Since moving to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, the Brazilian has maintained the lofty standards that saw him become such a hit at Milan, helping the Ligue 1 champions develop the best defence in the French top flight last term.

The Brazilian also led his nation to a Confederations Cup triumph over the summer, translating his magnificent club form seamlessly onto the national stage.

Several hamstring injuries over the last 11 months may see Silva's chances of winning any end-of-year awards limited thanks to reduced involvement, but what has been seen on the pitch has been nothing short of world-class quality.