As we all know by now, there will be no Ballon d’Or this year.
The individual accolade was cancelled by France Football with the coronavirus pandemic causing havoc with the football calendar.
Instead, the magazine has decided to create a Ballon d’Or Dream Team.
To do so, they’re listing the top 10 players of all time in every single position. There will then be a vote to determine the winner in each category which will form the best XI of all time.
And on Monday, the process began as they named the top 10 goalkeepers, right-backs, left-backs and centre-backs in football history.
Let’s take a look at each category:
Top 10 goalkeepers:
The finest people to have ever donned a pair of goalkeepers’ gloves. From the legendary Lev Yachine of the 1950s and 1960s to Gianluigi Buffon Manuel Neuer, who are both still playing. England has a representative in the late, great Gordon Banks.
Our vote goes to Yachine.
Top 10 right-backs
Quite a few older names in this list with the likes of Djalma Santos, Wim Suurbier and Berti Vogts.
We’re giving this one to Brazilian legend Carlos Alberto.
Top 10 centre-backs:
Another English representative in the form of World Cup-winning captain, Bobby Moore. Ballon d’Or winners Franz Beckenbauer, Matthias Sammer and Fabio Cannavaro feature. The only current defender in the list is Sergio Ramos.
Our winner? Italy’s Franco Baresi.
Top 10 left-backs
Paolo Maldini is down as a left-back, rather than a centre-back and he's in good company. Andreas Brehme, who scored a winner in the 1990 World Cup final lines up alongside Brazilian quartet Junior, Nilton Santos, Roberto Carlos and the current Marcelo.
Our winner is former German Paul Breitner.
Next Monday, France Football will reveal the top 10 defensive midfielders and attacking midfielders.
And France Football explained the process.
"The nominees will be submitted to the votes of the usual jurors of the Ballon d'Or, some 170 specialists throughout the world, who will have the heavy task of appointing their pick for each position. The final Dream Team will be formalised in December, a period conducive to prestigious awards."
We can't wait.