Barcelona trio in straight fight for Fifa's Ballon d'Or

Spanish champions Barcelona will be the sure winners when the world's best footballer of 2010 is crowned today in Zurich.

All three candidates for the Fifa Ballon d'Or award - Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi - play for the club, and all learned their craft at the club's La Masia youth academy. Barcelona are assured of an eighth victory since FIFA created its world player prize 20 years ago. Messi's win in 2009 followed Brazilians Romario (1994), Ronaldo (1996 and '97), Rivaldo (1999) and Ronaldinho (2004 and '05). However, no Spaniard as yet won the title.

The gala ceremony in Fifa's home will be another victory lap for World Cup winners Spain. National team manager Vicente del Bosque is favoured to get the inaugural men's coaching award for guiding 'La Furia Roja' to the title in South Africa. Xavi or Iniesta, whose goal against the Netherlands decided the final, is likely to be rewarded over Messi, whose Argentina side was outclassed by Germany in the quarter-finals.

The FIFA event has merged with the Ballon d'Or award presented to the best player in Europe by France Football magazine since 1956. The awards now include best female coach and player. A worldwide fans' vote decides the Puskas Award for most beautiful goal of 2010 and FIFA president Sepp Blatter will make a personal award. FIFA also awards a fair play prize and teams up with FIFPro, the global group of players' unions, to name a World XI.