Ronaldo or Messi, Mercurial or F50? With the envelope still sealed, we recap the special edition football boots that have followed the Ballon d'Or winner in recent years.
It's red carpet season and tonight football's elite will meet in Zurich to see Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Manuel Neur crowned FIFA Ballon d'Or winner. Besides the coveted trophy, what usually comes with the winning prize is a pair of celebratory boots - Leo's had three and Cristiano's been treated to the one. There's no predicting what Nike or adidas have lined up; they're usually boots that drop out of the sky with no prior warning. In the meantime, lets take a look back at the boots that have followed he Ballon d'Or winner in recent years. 
Lionel Messi (2010) adidas F50 adizero Gold/Black - Leo Messi's second consecutive FIFA Ballon d'Or title in 2010 saw adidas recognize his achievements with a pair of gold and black F50 adizero boots designed specially for the Argentine. The boots were designed in a simple gold and black outfit in celebration of his 'World Player of the Year' status and were first worn by Messi in Argentina's international friendly match against Spain.
Lionel Messi (2011) adidas F50 adizero Gold/White/Black - The 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or saw Messi become only the fourth player in history to win the prize for a third consecutive year, joining Johan Cruyff, Marco Van Basten and Michel Platini. Once again, adidas turned to their gold palette to deliver another special edition F50 for their main man. On the inside the boots read "FIFA Ballon d'Or Player of the Year" and across each of the three stripes were the years of his three trophies.
Lionel Messi (2012) adidas F50 adizero Black/Gold - This would become Leo's fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or title, making him the first ever player to have won the award four times, setting new heights for individual performances. This time, his special edition F50 boots brought a different twist, featuring four gold suns in reference to each of Messi's winning years. The boots were worn for just one game in the Copa del Rey against Malaga.
Cristiano Ronaldo (2013) Nike Mercurial Vapor IX White/Gold - After an outstanding 2013, averaging a goal a game and becoming the fastest player in Real Madrid's history to score 200 goals, Nike presented their Mercurial talent with a brand spanking new Vapor IX, kitted out with a clean and simple white upper — a nod to Ronaldo's affinity for white boots — and a special gold plate. Premium detailing and a numbered heel highlight the limited run of this special boot. Just 100 pairs landed worldwide.
What special edition boots would you most like to see follow tonight's result?
