Mumbai, Dec 2 (IANS): With the current football season reaching its mid-way point of the season, the eagerly awaited Ballon dOr awards are back to decide the best of the best.

With Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi each having won it five times each, there are plenty of new challengers who are looking to be crowned the best footballer in the world on December 3. Considered to be the benchmark for any footballer, the Ballon d'Or award is given to the male player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year, based on voting by football journalists.

The Ballon d'Or awards have always been debated and discussed with a great deal of excitement by football fans around the world. The awards for 2019 will see a closely contested contest between the world's greatest footballers as 30 candidates from around the world and different leagues have been nominated for the award.

The Premier League leads the way having 15 out of the 30 shortlisted players in this list of the best footballers in the world. The wait is almost over and soon all will be revealed if the best player in the world plays for a Premier League club or will a player from another football league walk away with the Ballon d'Or and the title of the Best Footballer in the World.

Fans and football enthusiasts can tune in to watch the entire awards ceremony LIVE on Star Sports Select 1 /HD at 1 a.m. IST on December 3.