The prestigious annual award, which has been ranking the top performers on the planet since 2008, was last year presented to Cristiano Ronaldo, after he inspired Real Madrid to another Champions League and Portugal to Euro 2016 glory.
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Chief editors and correspondents from Goal’s 37 editions around the world all cast their votes, with candidates judged on their level of consistency over the previous year of action, their big-game performances, footballing legacy and the success of their teams at both club and international level.
As a little teaser ahead of the big countdown, we can reveal who one of the 55 voters - Goal senior editor and Italian football expert Carlo Garganese – selected in his list.
Each voter was required to name their best 25 players of 2017, with their top pick earning 25 points and their last pick gaining one point. The points accumulated from all 55 voters were then added up to form next week’s Goal 50.
Carlo chose Real superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as his No.1, followed by Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon and Madrid metronome Toni Kroos.
The winner of the 2015 Goal 50, Lionel Messi, only placed ninth, while his former Barcelona team-mate, Neymar, was selected in 10th.
Eye-catching omissions include Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, Barcelona’s Luis Suarez and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.
You can see Carlo’s full vote above. What do you think of his selections and who would you have in your top 25? Join the debate in the comments section.
The Goal 50 is an annual award that both recognises and ranks the world’s 50 best footballers of the preceding 12 months. Chief editors and correspondents from Goal’s 37 editions around the world all cast their votes, with candidates judged on their level of consistency over the previous year of action, their big-game performances, footballing legacy and the success of their teams at both club and international level.
