Xavi, Iniesta or Messi? who deserve to win FIFA Ballon d'Or for 2010?

Note: This hub was updated after French football magazine France Football had announced the names of the final three players who are in the running to win the FIFA Ballon D'Or for their performances in 2010, in which Sneijder was not included while Messi made it to top 3.

As we grew up, we heard the names of Maradona, Beckenbauer, Cruyff and Pele being the most famous footballers of all time. Then came Ronaldo (Luis), Zidane and Figo in the late 1990's and early 2000's. And today it's about Kaka, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But during the course of the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons, there have been some new names joining the ranks, Xavi, Iniesta, and Wesley Snejider, but who deserve to be named world player of the year?
Here's some information about each one:

Xavier Hernández Creus, commonly known as Xavi, was born in 25 January 1980 in Terrassa, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) currently plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona. Widely considered among the finest play-makers in the world, Xavi was named the official Man of the match of the 2009 Champions League Final as he helped Barcelona defeat Manchester United to win their third Champions League-title. He was named Player of the Tournament by UEFA at UEFA Euro 2008 and was one of the five finalists for the 2007–08 FIFA World Player of the Year. In all he has been capped 95 times for the Spanish national team, with whom he won the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is regularly cited as one of the best midfielders currently playing.

Strengths: A sublime technician, Xavi rarely wastes possession and, with his visionary passing and ability to hold onto the ball in tight situations is the perfect man to dictate play from deep. A danger from set-pieces, the midfielder also boasts a tremendous work-rate.

Weaknesses: His lack of height and pace would restrict a more limited player but that would be nitpicking.

2010 team achievements:

1- 2009/10 Spanish league

2- 2009/10 Spanish Super Cup

3- FIFA World Cup

2010 individual achievements:

1- La Liga 2009-10 Top assist provider (14).

2- Trofeo Alfredo di Stéfano: 3^rd best player in La Liga 2009–10.

3- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010.

4- 2010 FIFA World Cup: most passes completed, most chances created, longest distance ran.

5- 2010 FIFA World Cup Man Of The Match Vs Paraguay Vs Portugal.

6- Prince of Asturias Awards.

Lionel Andrés Messi: born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team as a forward or winger. He also holds Spanish citizenship, which makes him eligible as a EU player. Considered one of the best football players of his generation and frequently cited as the world's best contemporary player, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 and won both by the age of 22. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi his "successor".

Messi began playing football at a young age and his potential was quickly identified by Barcelona. He left Rosario-based Newell's Old Boys's youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. Making his debut in the 2004–05 season, he broke his team record for the youngest footballer to score a league goal. Major honours soon followed as Barcelona won La Liga in Messi's debut season, and won a double of the league and Champions League in 2006. His breakthrough season was in the 2006–07 season; he became a first team regular, scoring a hat-trick in El Clásico and finishing with 14 goals in 26 league games. Perhaps his most successful season was the 2008–09 season, in which Messi scored 38 goals to play an integral part in a treble-winning campaign. In the following 2009–10 campaign, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo's record total for Barcelona.

Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals, including two in the final game. Shortly thereafter, he became an established member of Argentina's senior international team. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in the FIFA World Cup and he won a runners-up medal at the Copa América tournament the following year. In 2008, in Beijing, he won his first international honour, an Olympic gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team.

Strengths: His ball skills are second to none, his runs from midfield are usually lethal and he is almost impossible to tackle when he gets his head down. His balance when running at speed is incredible.

Weaknesses: Too often he searches for a way to finish moves by himself without looking for team-mates in a better position to shoot at goal.

2010 team achievements:

1- 2009/10 Spanish league.

2- 2009/10 Spanish Super Cup.

2010 individual achievements:

1- 2010 La Liga Foreign Player of the Year.

2- 2010 La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year.

3- 2010 La Liga Player of the Year.

4- 2010 La Liga top goalscorer.

5- 2009/10 FC Barcelona top goalscorer.

6- 2009/10 European Golden Shoe.

7- 2009/10 UEFA Champions League top goalscorer.

Andrés Iniesta Luján: born 11 May 1984 in Fuentealbilla, Albacete, Castile-La Mancha is a Spanish football midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club FC Barcelona. His willingness to play anywhere on the pitch, coupled with a natural humility, has earned him the sobriquet El Ilusionista (The Illusionist), El Cerebro (The Brain), El Caballero Pálido (The Pale Knight) and most recently Don Andrés from the Spanish press. After the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney stated that he believed the midfielder to be the best player in the world. His current contract with Barcelona runs until 2015. Iniesta scored the winning goal for Spain in the 116th minute of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final against the Netherlands and was the Man of the Match for the game.

Strengths: A wonderful technician and one of the finest exponents of the passing game in Europe, Iniesta also has an admirable willingness to work ceaselessly for his team. His dribbling, vision and poise all catch the eye while his versatility also marks him out as the complete midfielder.

Weaknesses: Like Xavi, his physical attributes are not remarkable, although what he lacks in pace, strength and height he makes up for in intelligence and guile.

2010 team achievements:

1- 2009/10 Spanish league.

2- 2010 Spanish Supercup.

3- 2010 FIFA World Cup.

2010 individual achievements:

1- 2010 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.

2- 2010 Prince of Asturias Awards.

The FIFA Ballon d'Or is an association football award given annually to the player considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year. It is awarded based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams, as well as journalists from around the world.

The award started in 2010 after France Football's Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award were merged. The inaugural award ceremony (honoring the best player in 2010) will be held on January 10, 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Who do you think deserve to win the award, do you think Snejider should be in that list, don't forget to vote and leave comments...