A few of you are messaging in suggesting Julian Alvarez should win. Let's not make this another Jorginhogate.

With apologies to any of my teachers in six years of French lessons at Ard Scoil Mhuire in Bruff.

Eden Hazard comes onto the stage and gives his old Chelsea bud Didier Drogba a hug. Hazard recently announced his retirement.

Now they're chatting away in French, a language I do not speak.

Ciro from Sheffield: So happy that 2 current Napoli players and Kim who just left are in the top 23 players in the world! Osimhen in the top 10. I remember the days of Serie C football and now I feel lucky to be in this situation

Too many of you on texts and tweets take the Ballon d'Or far too seriously. It's not worth losing any sleep or getting riled up about whether Erling Haaland or Lionel Messi win.*

(*says the man live texting the ceremony).

Various nominees are walking onto the stage in presumably very expensive clothes.

The show is being presented by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba and journalist Sandy Heribert.

Image source, Getty Images

Live coverage of the ceremony is starting now - which you can find at the top of this page, the iPlayer or the Red Button.

Both Newcastle's Callum Wilson and West Ham's Michail Antonio think that Manchester City striker Erling Haaland should win the Ballon d'Or today.

"What Haaland did last season can't be overlooked," said Wilson on last week's The Footballer's Football Podcast.

"If you take away international football and compare statistically - Haaland should win the award.

"You can't look past Messi winning his first World Cup, that is a big contributing factor but club football wise he's been playing in America which is very different to Haaland in the Premier League.

Antonio added: "I agree with Callum. I understand Messi winning the World Cup is massive but you can't look past a treble-winning team and what Haaland bought to that, breaking records. He deserves that Ballon d'Or - if he doesn't get it it's a scandal."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Argentina legend Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favourite to win and extend his record to eight Ballons d'Or after winning the World Cup.

Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr, was not nominated for the first time since 2003.

Image source, Getty Images

Caleb, USA: Everyone's been saying for Messi to be considered for greatest of all time, he needs to win the world cup. He won it, so give him the balon d'or to mark the occasion.

Gary Proud, Cambridge: Bellingham is a future winner (hopefully), but this award has to be (in a post-World Cup ceremony) for the most impactful player of the biggest tournament… Boring- but it’s Lionel (again!)

Watch Lionel Messi: Destiny on iPlayer now

We'll put in a few clips from it during this live text. (And then look stupid if someone else wins the Ballon d'Or.)

Dan H: Bonmati deserves the Ballon d'Or Féminin. After all the criticism of Spain during the WC warm up, to be able to put all that aside and carry her country on her shoulders shows a maturity beyond her years. Her goals and influence outside of football has certainly helped the women's game grow. In years to come, she will only get better, and wil be remembered alongside the great names of football.

There are seven awards up for grabs tonight.

The big two are the Ballon d'Or and Ballon d'Or Feminin awards - for the best men's and women's players in the world.

Also available are the...

• Kopa Trophy, for the best young player
• Yashin Trophy, for the world's best keeper
• Gerd Muller Trophy, for the striker to score the most goals for club and country
• Socrates Award, which recognises humanitarian work
• Club of the year award

England's Georgia Stanway says it is "unfortunate" that Ballon d'Or Feminin nominees will be unable to attend today because they are on international duty.

The Lionesses are in Belgium for tomorrow's Uefa Nations League game.

"Obviously it's nice to get the accolade, as well as a lot of my team-mates who have been nominated as well. It's unfortunate that we couldn't be there," said Stanway.

"We spoke about it as a group and said it would be nice in the future if the ceremony wasn't on a matchday minus one day so we can all enjoy the experience.

"[It is frustrating] because it's a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You never know if you'll get selected for such an accolade like that again. It would be nice to enjoy the experience and be there.

"You want to feel like a star among the stars. We've got a game tomorrow, but if it was planned a little better then it would be easier for a lot of female footballers to be there."

Quiz

Can you name all the men's Ballon d'Or winners for the past 40 years?

Take our quiz here.

It's not only the best footballers in attendance this evening...

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic is keeping himself busy. He was also at the Rugby World Cup final the other day.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2023 Ballon d'Or only factors in stuff from last season by the way so Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid start wouldn't be considered.

Joe: I think Lionel Messi deserves it, he won the World Cup, and has made a fine impact in America

Piers, Ipswich: If Messi wins this, it will be a total farce - handful of good games for Argentina, against the achievements of Haaland/Mbappe/Kane/Bellingham all year

Anon: Obviously Messi is the favourite to win but it would be good for football if we had a new winner. Bellingham and Kane have both had amazing starts to their new clubs and Haaland scored more than 50 goals last season. I think it should go to Bellingham as he has so much potential and has proved that this season

Andre Onana - the 23rd best player in the world.