France Football have announced the nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards.
Karim Benzema is the defending Ballon d’Or holder but not really spoken about the favourites to lift this year’s award.
Meanwhile, all roads seem to lead between a battle between Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, who both had incredible campaigns.
Haaland helped Manchester City to win the treble, scoring 52 goals and setting up nine more in 53 games in his debut campaign for City.
He was recently crowned FIFA Men’s Player of the Year, where he beat Messi to the award. Messi, meanwhile, won a domestic double in French after lifting Ligue 1 and the French Super Cup.
He scored 21 goals and set up 20 more in all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain, before leaving the club to join Inter Miami, where he has since written massive headlines.
His biggest triumph came at the FIFA World Cup, helping Argentina to lift the title and being named Player of the Tournament, while also scoring seven goals.
It will be difficult for any other player to come in between these two, with the third favourite being Kylian Mbappe, who won the domestic double alongside Messi at PSG and finished runners-up at the World Cup. He netted 41 times and set up 10 more in 43 games for PSG, while winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the nominees for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, including Nigerian Asiasat Oshoala, as well as the nominees for the Kopa Trophy (best young player) and the Yacine Trophy (best goalkeeper) were also announced.
The winners will be announced during the gala on 30 October.
Here are all the nominees:
- Josko Gvardiol
- Jama Musiala
- Andre Onana
- Karim Benzema
- Mohamed Salah
- Bukayo Saka
- Kevin De Bruyne
- Jude Bellingham
- Randal Kolo Muani
- Bernardo Silva
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
- Nicolo Barella
- Emiliano Martinez
- Ruben Dias
- Erling Haaland
- Yassine Bono
- Martin Ødegaard
- Julian Alvarez
- Ilkay Gundogan
- Vinicius Junior
- Rodri
- Antoine Griezmann
- Lionel Messi
- Lautaro Martinez
- Robert Lewandowski
- Kim Min-jae
- Luka Modric
- Kylian Mbappe
- Victor Osimhen
- Harry Kane
Women’s Ballon d’Or:
Kopa Trophy nominees:
- Xavi Simons – Leipzig
- Alejandro Balde – Barca
- Antonio Silva – Benfica
- Rasmus Højlund – Man Utd
- Elye Wahi – Lens
- Jude Bellingham – Real
- Gavi – Barca
- Jamal Musiala – Bayern
- Eduardo Camavinga – Real
- Pedri – Barca
Yacine Trophy nominees:
- Yassine Bounou
- Thibaut Courtois
- Mike Maignan
- Marc-André ter Stegen
- Ederson
- Emiliano Martinez
- Andre Onana
- Aaron Ramsdale
- Dominik Livaković
- Brice Samba
