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Ballon d’Or 2023: Nominees revealed with Messi, Haaland & Mbappe all in contention.
The shortlist for the world’s most prestigious individual football award has been unveiled in anticipation of the ceremony scheduled for October 30 in Paris. Leading the pack are Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, two of the standout contenders for this coveted accolade.
Messi’s inclusion is especially significant as he was absent from the shortlist last year. If he secures the men’s Ballon d’Or this year, it would mark his eighth win of the award, with Cristiano Ronaldo closely following with five victories. Additionally, Messi earned the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the second time in February.
The announcement of the winner is scheduled to take place during a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.
Messi’s leadership was instrumental in Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 World Cup in December, a major achievement that had eluded him throughout his remarkable 21-year career until then.
Messi had a mixed year for his club. He struggled at Paris Saint-Germain, but he did help the team win its 11th Ligue 1 title as they were eliminated from the Champions League at the round of 16 stage for the second consecutive season.
He chose to join Inter Miami on a free transfer this summer instead of staying in Paris, and he immediately made a difference by helping them win the Leagues Cup and advance to the U.S. Open Cup final.
Erling Haaland, who was also nominated, could be Messi’s toughest rival for the honour. The Norwegian forward helped Manchester City win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League by tallying 52 goals in 53 games across all competitions.
In his first season in England, the 23-year-old shattered the Premier League’s single-season goal-scoring record with 36 goals.
The striker also took up a number of individual honours for his outstanding exploits, including PFA Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season, and Men’s Player of the Year from the Football Writers’ Association.
As expected, the list of nominees for this year’s award is heavily populated by players from Manchester City and Argentina.
Seven individuals who played pivotal roles in Manchester City’s triumphant treble-winning season, including Erling Haaland, have secured spots on the shortlist. Additionally, four Argentine players, including Lionel Messi, who contributed to their nation’s historic third World Cup victory, have also earned well-deserved nominations.
Full list of men’s Ballon d’Or nominees:
André Onana – Manchester United/Cameroon
Josko Gvardiol – Manchester City/Croatia
Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad
Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich/Germany
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool/Egypt
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England
Randal Kolo Muani – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium
Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal
Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa/Argentina
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia
Rúben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal
Nicolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy
Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway
Yassine Bounou – Al Hilal/Morocco
Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal/Norway
Julián Álvarez – Manchester City/Argentina
Ilkay Gündogan – Barcelona/Germany
Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid/Brazil
Lionel Messi – Inter Miami/Argentina
Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan/Argentina
Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France
Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland
Kylian Mbappé – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kim Min-jae – Napoli/South Korea
Victor Osimhen – Napoli/Nigeria
Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England
The nominees for the 2023 Men’s Ballon d’Or are here! 🤩🏆
Plenty of Premier League representation! 👊 pic.twitter.com/VplS8vkZGD
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 6, 2023