After a slow start, he appeared to be heading back to top form with eight league goals in 11 games until Sunday's red card against Manchester City drew headlines for the wrong reason.

Already booked for a needless foul on Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ronaldo jumped to meet a corner kick and, instead of heading the ball toward the City goal, batted it down with his hands.

To his amazement, he was shown a second yellow card followed swiftly by the red one. He later said he thought he had heard the referee blow his whistle and that's why he handled the ball.

The 21-year-old Messi scored several breathtaking goals for Barca last season, and also helped Argentina defeat Nigeria 1-0 to win the Olympic gold medal at Beijing in August.

Messi has stepped up his form since then, with nine league goals in 11 games for Barca -- one less than he got in 27 games last season -- as he continues to develop a flourishing partnership with Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o.

"He is the kind of player I really like," Kaka said.

"Like Cristiano Ronaldo, he dribbles, he scores. Messi often does it all on his own."

Torres helped Spain win the European Championship in June, scoring the lone goal in the final against Germany.

Torres, hit by several niggling injuries this term, also scored 24 league goals in his debut season with the Reds but has struggled so far this season.

Ronaldo's United teammates Wayne Rooney, Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic were nominated, as were Chelsea's Michael Ballack, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.