Who is the third best player in the world? Top 5

When somebody asks me to name who I think are the three best players in the world, straight away I say Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo without even thinking about it. But this is where I struggle. Who really is the third best player? My opinion keeps changing and there is a list of players who I think are worthy enough of the 'bronze medal award'. Lets look a little deeper in to the players fighting for the third spot.

1. Franck Ribery

The French winger has been the main reason why his side went on to win the treble. His tricky dribbling and flawless through balls left the German defenders bamboozled for the majority of the season. He loves to cut inside on his favoured right foot to take a long shot which always tests the keeper. Last season Franck scored 10 goals in 24 starts in the Bundesliga and he also came up with 14 assists.

2. Gareth Bale

The Welsh wizard has been all over the back pages of the English and Spanish newspapers for weeks now following the recent interest from Real Madrid. Who knows? Bale could end up being the most expensive player ever! Last season he found the net 21 times in 33 games in the Premier League, making him the 3rd highest scorer.

3. Xavi

What a legend Xavi is. Two European Championships and one World Cup winners medal to his name and he is still going strong at the grand old age of 33. He is the heartbeat of Barcelona's world class midfield and he notched up a very respectable 94.8 pass success percentage. Although he only assisted 8 goals last season, he is the one that starts the attacks.

4. Andres Iniesta

Another player who has been part of Spain's 'Golden Generation'. He also creates a lot of chances for Barcelona and he gets the credit he deserves. With seven assists to his name and only three goals last season, you could think he didn't have the best of seasons. But he, like Xavi, isn't always the last person to pass to the scorer because he likes to start the attacks instead. Iniesta is arguably the best play maker in the world.

5. Philipp Lahm

Not many people think of defenders when they are thinking of the best players in the world. But I just can't forget Lahm and his unbelievable talent. His main skill is that he can perform long, diagonal passes across the pitch with ease. Not many defenders can say they do that. Also, Philipp set up his teammates 11 times in 28 games which is a fantastic record even for a winger.

These are the five players who I think are the best in the world apart from the obvious two. They are all class players in their own ways. I can't decide who is the best out of all of them, so I'm asking you: Who do YOU think is the third best player in the world?