Fans are excited as the race for Ballon d’Or 2019 soon approaching its finish line. The final short list of 30 players revealed by the France Football last week.

CR7 fans hoping for a return of award towards the GOAT and there’s the fan of Messi and MoSalah, former another footballing GOAT and the latter is a rising star.

Could Cristiano Ronaldo win it for a sixth time and overtake his old rival Lionel Messi, who has won the award five times, on December 2?

As typical there’s an exciting mix of both legendary names and some really odd picks.

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has picked Sadio Mane – Liverpool winger over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in the race of Ballon d’Or 2019.

Arsene Wenger the legendary coach earlier in the month said: ‘Mane was the outstanding character. ‘I would say – because he is a fighter… and efficient. He’s not scared of anybody. At the moment, he deserves huge credit.’

Virgil Van Dijk dominate the nominations for the prestigious award alongside his 6 Liverpool teammates. Legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo together with other big names such as, Sergio Aguero, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Kylian Mbappe made the list as probable and then there are some astonishing names such as Joao Felix, Donny van de Beek, Karim Benzema, Dustin Tadic, Hugo Lloris and Allison Becker.

On the other end Neymar, Suarez, and Modric all three were not even successful to make it on the shortlist.

Prediction from Sportbible.com

‘Winner’

Lionel Messi

“So it’s hardly an earth-shattering prediction, but would anybody really feel comfortable betting AGAINST Messi winning taking home the prize for a record-breaking sixth time? Could his old rival Ronaldo beat him to the punch yet again, or is this the year that the academy finally breaks with tradition and awards a defender the top prize for the first time since 2006 when Fabio Cannavaro took home the prize? ”