The clash of probably the best two players in the world, Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the UEFA Champions League final tonight have been highly anticipated.

Defending champions Manchester United will walk out at Rome’s Olympic Stadium for Wednesday’s show-case final to face a Barcelona side who have already humiliated European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid this season.

It promises to be a battle royal between two teams at the peak of their powers and includes a sub-battle between arguably the world’s best two attacking players who can terrorise defences on their day.

United’s Ronaldo currently has the upper hand having won both the world player of the year crown and the Ballon d’Or in 2008 while his side aim to retain their Champions League title by beating Messi’s Barcelona side.

Dead-ball specialist Ronaldo hit a staggering 42 goals in all competitions last season, but his winner away to Porto and two at Arsenal in this season’s Champions League campaign have gone some way to answering criticism of his big-game temperament.

Barcelona centre-back Yaya Toure admits the Spaniards can ill-afford to allow Ronaldo the freedom to control the midfield if they are to fulfill their ambition to win the competition they last claimed in 2006.

“They are physically very strong, they have a truly great footballer in Cristiano Ronaldo and they won the Champions League last year, so we know it will be very difficult,” said the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international.

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Petr Cech was outstanding as Chelsea held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Nou Camp. And so becoming the first side in 50 games to restrict the Spanish side from scoring on their home ground.

Cech produced several fine stops to keep the Blues in the tie as Guus Hiddink’s men defended superbly throughout ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge a week on Wednesday.

After a cagey opening 30 minutes, in which Barcelona enjoyed plenty of possession but could not break down a solid visiting defence, the game suddenly sparked into life.

Thierry Henry cut in from the left and fired straight at Cech before testing the Blues stopper again with a much fiercer effort moments later as Barca finally began to create some openings.

But it was Chelsea who should have broken the deadlock in the 39th minute when Rafael Marquez’s weak back pass allowed Didier Drogba a free run on goal but the striker’s half volley was well saved by Victor Valdes, who was also equal to the Ivorian hitman’s follow up.

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With last years award going to world cup stalwart Fabio Cannavaro, who at 33 was the oldest player to receive the award, we now enter a new era where the world will be ruled by any one of three players all under 25. The Fifa world player of the year gala takes place on the 17th of December and with the Official shortlist down to three very promising attacking players lets take a closer look at each nominee.

Lionel Messi

Age 20

FC Barcelona

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