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The identities of the FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA Women?s World Player of the Year are slowly but surely being revealed. The votes have now been cast and two trios of star players have emerged from the crowd.

Listed here in alphabetical order, the women?s shortlist features Mia Hamm (USA), Hanna Ljungberg (Sweden) and Birgit Prinz (Germany), while the three men left in the running are Thierry Henry (France), Ronaldo (Brazil) and Zinedine Zidane (France). Who will prevail? All will be revealed at the FIFA World Player Gala in Basle, Switzerland, on 15 December. The ceremony, to be broadcast around the globe, will start at 15.00h.

FIFA World Player

Gala 2003

FIFA World Player of the Year

? Henry ? Ronaldo ? Zidane

In alphabetical order

FIFA Women?s World Player of the Year

? Hamm ? Ljungberg ? Prinz

In alphabetical order

FIFA Top Team 2003

Brazil

FIFA Best Mover 2003

Bahrain

Having topped the bill in 2001 and 2002, Mia Hamm will be looking to complete a hat trick of awards. Hanna Ljungberg, meanwhile, figures in the final three for the first time. Runner-up last year and such an integral part of the German team crowned world champions just a few weeks ago, Birgit Prinz will also be hoping to claim the top individual accolade this time round.

Looking to the men?s award, Thierry Henry will be making his debut appearance on the podium showcasing the three top players in the world, quite a contrast to his fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, such a familiar face at this stage of proceedings having already been named FIFA World Player of the Year in both 1998 and 2000. Les Bleus? playmaker will be hoping to emulate his club colleague Ronaldo, the only player to have won the award on three separate occasions (1996, 1997, 2002). The Brazilian striker, meanwhile, will have his sights set on building upon that impressive record?

Twelve months ago, Ronaldo (387 points) held sway over Oliver Kahn (Germany, 171 points) and Zidane (148 points), while Mia Hamm (161 points) took the women?s award ahead of Prinz (96) and Sun Wen (China, 58).

100 coaches of women?s national teams have cast their vote for the FIFA Women?s Player of the Year 2003, while 142 coaches of men?s national teams have voted in the men?s category. Each voting slip allowed coaches to name their three top players, with a first-place nomination worth five points, and positions two and three rewarded with three points and one point respectively.

Four more prestigious awards will also be presented at FIFA?s gala occasion: the FIFA Presidential Award, the FIFA Fair Play Award, the Top Team of the Year according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, as well as the Best Mover of the Year in the same classification.

By fifa.com