Thierry Henry is one of the three players nominated for the World Player of the Year award.
Real Madrid's Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane were also voted into the top trio by 142 of the world's national team coaches. Ronaldo is the holder of the award and has a hat-trick of such trophies stashed away, while Zidane has been elected the world's best player twice - after France's triumphs at the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championships.
The award winner will be named at the FIFA World Player Gala in the Swiss town of Basle on December 15th, and the big money will be riding on the Real Madrid duo.
This marks the first time that Henry has been selected in the top three. FIFA already know the outcome, having counted the votes of the coaches, but they will keep the trio on tenterhooks until the ceremony.
It was apt that Henry should be included in the top three on the day after he ripped apart Inter Milan's defence at the San Siro in Arsenal's 5-1 triumph.
He scored twice and set up another in the Champions League romp, and has been in dazzling form for the Gunners in 2003. But perhaps it has been Henry's form for France this year which swayed so many coaches into voting in his favour.
Henry and strike partner David Trezeguet, with Zidane prompting from midfield, have helped France win 13 successive matches. They triumphed in the ill-fated Confederations Cup during the summer, beating a Cameroon side in the final who were still mourning the death of midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe.
The women's nominations were also announced, and last year's winner Mia Hamm is in the running. The American is up against Sweden's Hanna Ljungberg and Birgit Prinz of World Cup winners Germany.