This year's No.1 will be revealed on Tuesday, November 12, but who came out on top in the 11 previous editions?
Alex Livesey/Getty Images2008: Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo won the first Goal 50 award back in 2008, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres in the rankings.
The Portuguese sensation was a most worthy recipient of the accolade, after netting 42 goals during a remarkable campaign that ended with Manchester United winning both the Premier League and the Champions League.
AdvertisementGetty Images2009: Lionel Messi
After finishing as runner-up first time around, Messi claimed top spot in the 2009 Goal 50, with the inaugural winner, Ronaldo, failing to make the podium places.
Messi took the prize ahead of Barcelona team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi, after the trio had played pivotal roles in the Catalan club claiming a historic treble.
The Argentine finished as the Champions League's top scorer and netted Barcelona's second in the final with a rare headed goal.
Getty2010: Wesley Sneijder
The first man not named Messi or Ronaldo to lift the Goal 50 trophy, Wesley Sneijder was crowned the best player of 2010.
The Dutchman had joined Inter from Real Madrid the year before and proved a sensational signing for the Nerazzurri, scoring twice in the Champions League semi-final clashes with Barcelona and then providing the assist for Diego Milito's crucial opening goal in the 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the final.
It was a third trophy of the season for Sneijder and Inter, after their earlier Serie A and Coppa Italia triumphs.
The attacking midfielder then very nearly got his hands on the World Cup but Netherlands were beaten 1-0 in the final by Spain.
Nonetheless, Sneijder had done more than enough to claim the Goal 50 award, with the Oranje ace finishing ahead of Messi and Xavi.
Getty Images2011: Lionel Messi
Messi returned to the summit in 2011, pipping Ronaldo to top spot, while Xavi finished in third place for the third year in a row.
The trophy was almost guaranteed to go to the Argentine after he scored 53 goals in 55 games for Barcelona, providing 24 assists on top of that as Pep Guardiola's incredible side won La Liga and the Champions League.
Messi's highlight came in the Champions League semi-final against Ronaldo's Real Madrid, when he dribbled past four Blancos defenders before putting the ball past Iker Casillas for one of the best goals of his career.