ZURICH, Switzerland — Cristiano Ronaldo is favored to complete a clean sweep of football's top individual awards by being named FIFA's World Player of the Year for 2008 on Monday.

The 23-year-old Manchester United winger has already received the Ballon D'Or as European footballer of the year and been named the world's best by the global players' union FIFPro and World Soccer magazine.

Voters must decide whether to reward Ronaldo for his scintillating form during the second half of a 42-goal season that helped United win the Premier League and Champions League last May.

Ronaldo's strongest challengers are two players who helped their countries win international titles and have helped make Spanish league leader Barcelona arguably the best team in Europe this season.

Striker Lionel Messi led Argentina to the Olympic gold medal in August, while club teammate Xavi Hernandez was named UEFA's player of the tournament when Spain won the European Championship last June.

"I hope that they give the award to Cristiano," Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who managed Ronaldo on Portugal's national team, said this week. "He was the best in the world last season — far better than the rest and he deserves it."

The five-man shortlist is completed by Brazil and AC Milan midfielder Kaka — who won the award for 2007 when Messi and Ronaldo filled the podium places — and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, whose goal won the Euro 2008 final against Germany.

Votes were taken from head coaches and captains of men's and women's national teams around the world by a mid-December deadline.

The FIFA women's award also will be announced Monday in a ceremony at the Zurich Opera House, in the home city of the game's world governing body.

The five contenders are Brazil's Cristiane and Marta, Germany internationals Nadine Angerer and Birgit Prinz, along with England striker Kelly Smith.

Named after former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, Ronaldo is a strong favorite to become the first Premier League player to win the award in its 18-year history.

David Beckham was runner-up in 1999 and 2001 while also wearing United's No. 7 shirt, but Ronaldo's allround qualities set him apart: pace and trickery to beat defenders, powerful headers and an eye for goal, as well as Beckham's ability to execute spectacular free kicks.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has likened his star player to Pele and Diego Maradona.

"He's 23 now and still a very young lad but there's a lot of things in his favor to go on and prove himself as a legend," Ferguson said recently. "His ability with two feet is tremendous. You would never associate it with a Portuguese winger but he is absolutely magnificent in the air."

Ronaldo peaked during a stretch of matches from February to April that saw United overhaul Arsenal in the English title race, and dispatch Lyon and AS Roma from the Champions League. He also scored against Chelsea in the final, although that night in Moscow seemed to mark a turning point.

After a 1-1 draw, his penalty was saved in the shootout and he did not join teammates celebrating goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's save that won the competition.

Ronaldo's arrival at Euro 2008 with Portugal was clouded by speculation he wanted an immediate transfer to Real Madrid, and he underachieved in a quarterfinal loss to Germany.

Since returning to action in September after ankle surgery, Ronaldo has not been at his sparkling best. The Real rumors have persisted, to Ferguson's evident frustration and despite a contract that runs through 2012.

Unable to land the winger, Real has been put firmly in its place by Messi and Barcelona in La Liga during an electrifying unbeaten run for the Catalan club since August.

Madrid coach Bernd Schuster said last month it was "impossible" for his team to win the El Classico match at Barca's Nou Camp stadium. He lost his job the next day but he was proven correct, with Messi scoring in a 2-0 Barcelona win.

At 21, the 5 foot 6-1/2 inch (1.69-meter) Messi has been with Barcelona since it offered to pay for his childhood medical bills for a course of growth therapy.

His strength on the ball, balance and left-footed mastery of defenders make for obvious parallels with Argentine great Maradona, who has approved the comparison.

Messi was a key factor in Argentina's Olympic title in Beijing. He scored twice, was man of the match in a semifinal win over archrival Brazil and provided the assist for the only goal of the final against Nigeria.

Marta is aiming to lift the women's award for the third straight year, and is expected to formally announce Monday that she is joining Los Angeles Sol of the new U.S. Women's Professional Soccer League after leaving Swedish club Umea.