Manchester United and Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA World Footballer of the Year for 2008 on Monday.
He reaped 935 points in the vote in which the coaches and captains of 155 national teams took part. Messi finished second (678 points) and was trailed by Torres (203), Kaka (183) and Xavi (155).
The circus magician
Cristiano Ronaldo (935 points): Few players in world soccer polarize opinion like Cristiano Ronaldo but despite his occasional theatrics and petulance his ability to influence matches is undisputed.
The Portuguese winger is blessed with strength, pace, aerial ability and savage shooting power and he invariably delivers when it matters most - his magnificent header in last season's Champions League final a prime example.
He arrived at Manchester United just as David Beckham was leaving but he was no straight replacement. While Beckham was all precision passing and energy, Ronaldo has more tricks up his sleeve than a circus magician.
His initial tendency to over-indulge his exhibitionist personality with endless stepovers has gradually receded over the years at Old Trafford and last season he turned into a ruthless scoring machine.
An extraordinary tally of 42 goals propelled United to the Champions League and Premier League double and earned him a place in United folklore alongside George Best.
Factor in the number of goals he created and it is no wonder United fans were relieved that the Madeira-born genius opted to stay in England this season rather than join Real Madrid.
Maradona reborn
Lionel Messi (678 points): Lionel Messi has frequently been compared to the young Diego Maradona and it was fitting that the Argentina coach was at the Vicente Calderon stadium last week to witness his superb last week for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid.
The 21-year-old is blessed with the same masterly ball control skills and burst of pace as his illustrious compatriot, and his most memorable goal, against Getafe in a King's Cup match in April 2007, was almost an exact copy of the former Argentina captain's 1986 solo World Cup effort against England.
Born in Rosario, Santa Fe in Argentina on June 24, 1987, Messi joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old. He shone in the youth ranks and Frank Rijkaard gave him his debut in the senior side in a friendly against Porto in November 2003 at the age of 16.
He first played for the full national squad in a friendly against Hungary in August 2005, the same opponents against whom Maradona made his debut as a 16-year-old.
Messi led Argentina to the gold medal at last year's Beijing Olympics and his 11 goals in the Primera Liga this season have helped Barca open an 12-point lead at the top of the standings. He has also scored five goals in five Champions League appearances this term.
El nino
Fernando Torres (203 points): Liverpool supporters have taken El Nino to their hearts since he made the move from Atletico Madrid to Anfield in 2007 for around 20 million pounds ($29.4 million).
They have witnessed many great goalscorers down the years with Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish high on the list. The stealthy Torres has a bit of both of them about his game.
The Spaniard has all the gifts of a thoroughbred striker - pace, poise and a dead-eye shot - but is also capable of linking players and retaining possession.
Importantly he has also proved he can survive the hurly burly of English soccer and handle the rough treatment dished out routinely by opposing defenders, a quality that earns him respect among fans of all clubs in England.
He scored 24 league goals in a sensational first season with Liverpool, a new record for a foreign striker in his debut season. He then went off to Austria and Switzerland and scored Spain's winner against Germany in the final of Euro 2008.
This season has been interrupted by injuries but if Torres stays fit between now and May, Liverpool could be celebrating a first league title for nearly 20 years.
(Agencies via China Daily January 14, 2009)
