After over a decade and Winning 10 Ballon d'Ors between them, Messi and Ronaldo's hold at the very top of the world game is slowly coming to an end and with Luca Modric's win last year, that was the first time the duo would ever have missed out since 2007.
Barcelona legend Xavi has tipped Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling as likely replacements for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as world football's elite talents.
With Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk being one of the favourites to lift the award, Messi and Ronaldo could very well miss out again this year.
You look at young players who can be crowned the future best in the world, and you think of Mo Salah and, of course, Raheem Sterling," Xavi told the Mirror.
However Salah has outscored Sterling in each of the past two Premier League seasons but is behind the England international with four goals to five so far this year.