Messi, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo at the FIFA World Player Gala 2007, Zurich, 17 december.



A multitude of stars from across the globe excelled in 2007. It was Kaka who stood tallest on the end-of-year podium, flanked by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, although there is no denying the impacts made by Franck Ribery, Andrea Pirlo, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Rogerio Ceni and Didier Drogba, among others.

The aforementioned players will be keen to repeat their heroics over the last 12 months, and two former FIFA World Player of the Year recipients will also be desperate to rediscover their unmistakable touch after hit-and-miss years. Do you believe in Ronaldinho and Ronaldo?

The Italian Serie A is awash with ability, and they don't come much more talented than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will be out to make 2008 the finest of his impressive career. Will his Inter Milan team-mates Esteban Cambiasso and Dejan Stankovic, Juventus' David Trezeguet, Roma icon Francesco Totti or Adrian Mutu of Fiorentina steal the headlines?

Maybe you feel a player - or players - from the Spanish La Liga or English Premier League will thrive. Cesc Fabregas and Robinho have been in scintillating form of late, while the likes of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, David Villa, Sergio Aguero and Thierry Henry are all class acts.

There is no shortage of potential headliners from across the rest of Europe, with Juninho Pernambucano, Samir Nasri, Karim Benzema, Diego, Ricardo Quaresma, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Alex just a crop of an army of candidates.

Perhaps you feel a player from outside the Old Continent will be the one to watch. Younis Mahmoud, Mohamed Aboutrika. Or will 2008 be the year in which Juan Roman Riquelme silences his critics and proves that he is among the best in the world.

Who do you think will be the stars of 2008?