Real duo up for top award

Real Madrid duo Raúl González and Luis Figo have been nominated for FIFA's player of the year award, alongside Manchester United's David Beckham.

It is the first time that two of the top three candidates have come from La Liga, and the winner will be announced during a ceremony in Zurich on December 17.

Both Real Madrid players have come close to winning the award in the past. Raúl was amongst the top five candidates in 1997, 1999 and 2000 while Figo was pipped to the award last year by Zinedine Zidane, who was with Juventus at the time.

The award, now in it's eleventh year, has been picked up by some of the game's top names including Lothar Matthäus (1991), Romario (1994), and Rivaldo (1999).

This year's gala award ceremony will also be the first time a category has been available for the best female footballer of the year. Americans Mia Hamm and Tiffany Milbrett stand alongside Chinese star Sun Wen as the leading contenders.