The world soccer body FIFA has narrowed a 50-player field down to a final three ahead of the presentation of the FIFA's 2004 World Player of the Year award on December 20 at Zurich Opera House.

Arsenal's Thierry Henry, Barcelona's Ronaldinho Gaucho and AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko have been shortlisted for the award.

None of the three players have won the award before.

Thierry Henry Position: Forward Club: Arsenal (England) Birthdate: Aug. 17, 1977 Birthplace: Paris (France) Height: 188 cm Weight: 83 kg

He may be the fastest man ever to lace up a soccer cleat and seems to execute the impossible in almost every game.

Henry broke out with an unexpected performance at the 1998 FIFA World Cup as he helped lead France to victory. No longer a hidden gem, Henry shines for the Arsenal Football Club in England.

Subsequent to the triumphant performance of France, Henry led the nation to victory in 2000, in the European Championship. Now a star center forward for Arsenal in the Premiership of England and the catalyst behind their glorious undefeated season, Henry has cemented his status as a legend in the making.

Henry is a wizard with his feet and is blessed with an innate gift to score. He led Arsenal to a spectacular season in 2003-04 that will go down in history as one of the most dominant by any football club.

Henry spent his childhood with a soccer ball by his side. At the age of 13, his professional rights were secured by First Division Monaco. He played his first pro game when he was just 17. His offensive impact was immediate. Although he had not yet grown into his lanky frame, Henry was heralded as a future star.

His progress continued unabated and in 1996, he made the junior team of Europe. The following year, Henry participated in the under-20 World Cup in Malaysia and graduated to the senior ranks as a first selection.

After a brief passage with the famed club Juventus in Italy, a marriage that failed from the start, Henry found new life in England with Arsenal.

Ronaldinho Gaucho Position: Forward Club: FC Barcelona Birthdate: March 21, 1980 Birthplace: Porto Alegre (Brazil) Height: 178 cm Weight: 70 kg

The Brazilian player Ronaldinho has been a major factor in the re-emergence of Barcelona over the past year.

Ronaldinho's father was a footballer, his brother Roberto enjoyed long and successful career with Gremio Porto Alegre, and the youngster followed in their footsteps. Ronaldinho Gaucho burst onto the scene when he was crowned champion and top scorer at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt in 1997. At the Copa America in 1999 in Paraguay, he scored an unforgettable goal against Venezuela - lobbing one defender, dribbling past another as if he weren't there and humiliating the keeper with a sublime finish, earning him numerous comparisons with the great Pele.

He signed for Gremio in 1998, but left the club just two years later after his reputation had spread worldwide. He was on the wanted list of several European clubs, but it was Paris-Saint Germain who managed to secure his services. Although he landed in the French capital in the spring of 2001, it was August before he would play his first official match after a legal wrangle between his former club and his new employers over the small matter of several hundred million French Francs. Ronaldinho made a slow start to his PSG career but soon became one of the stars of the team. His dribbling and free-kicks are the class of the French championship and he went on to score nine league goals.

When he twice finished top-scorer, in the 2000 FIFA Confederations Cup (with six goals) and in qualifying for the Olympic Games in Sydney (nine goals), Ronaldinho began to eclipse his idol Romario.

Andriy Shevchenko Position: Striker Club: AC Milan (Italy) Birthdate: September 29, 1976 Birthplace: Dvirkivshchyna, Kyiv (Ukraine) Height: 183 cm Weight: 73 Kg

Andriy Shevchenko plays as a striker. He lived most of his life in Kiev. His career successes include five Ukrainian Championships, three Ukrainian Cups, he is currently the Ukrainian best national team scorer.

Till now he played at Dinamo Kiev in Ukraine and at AC Milan in Italy.

His transfer from Dinamo Kiev to AC Milan is one of the biggest ever made, the president Silvio Berlusconi paid US$25 millions for him and a friendly match between the two teams.

Shevchenko became appreciated in Europe from the Dinamo Kiev's Champions Leagues matches. He contributed to the surprise from the 1997 CL groups when he scored a hat trick against Barcelona. In 1998 he was the goal scorer on the Champions Leagues with 11 goals, taking Dinamo Kiev to a semifinal lost against Bayern Munich, the Germany champions.

He made his debut in the national team against Croatia in March 1995, game ended 4-0 for the Ukrainians.

The AC Milan fans are comparing him to the great Dutch player, Marco van Basten.

The award in history

2003 Zinedine Zidane (France)

2002 Ronaldo (Brazil)

2001 Luis Figo (Portugal)

2000 Zinedine Zidane (France)

1999 Rivaldo (Brazil)

1998 Zinedine Zidane (France)

1997 Ronaldo (Brazil)

1996 Ronaldo (Brazil)

1995 George Weah (Liberia)

 Editor: Wing