Alex Horne will join a host of leading names from the world of football at tonight’s FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala.

The FA General Secretary is one of millions of fans around the world eagerly awaiting the outcome of the awards ceremony.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is battling his club mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo to be crowned World Player of the Year.

Argentina icon Messi has won the honour for the last three years and is hot favourite to scoop the accolade for a record fourth time.

The Ballon d’Or is one of seven gongs set to be awarded at Switzerland’s Kongresshaus in Zurich.

The others include the Women’s World Player of the Year, Men’s Football Coach of the Year and Women’s Football Coach of the Year, which England National Coach Hope Powell was initially nominated for.

A Fair Play Award will mark a moment of good behaviour from the game while the Presidential Award will be bestowed a person or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to football.

The Puskas Award – recognising the greatest goal scored by a man or woman over the last 12 months – will round up the honours.

A FIFA/FIFPro World XI will also be named on the night after 50,000 FIFPro professional players cast their votes late last year.