Messi and Haaland Headline 2023 Ballon d’Or Nominees.
Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland lead the prestigious list of candidates for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award after France Football magazine officially unveiled the nominees on Wednesday.
This nomination marks a significant moment for Messi, as he was notably absent from the shortlist last year. If the legendary Argentine forward secures the men’s Ballon d’Or this year, it would be an astonishing eighth time, placing him just behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has clinched the award five times. In February, Messi also claimed the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the second time.
Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo, now with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, did not make the cut for the first time since 2003.
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The eagerly anticipated winner of this prestigious award will be announced at a grand ceremony hosted at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.
Messi’s incredible year included leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in December, a historic achievement that had eluded him throughout his illustrious 21-year career. The World Cup triumph was particularly sweet for Messi, as it was the only major trophy he had yet to win.
In terms of club performance, Messi had a mixed year at Paris Saint-Germain, where the French side was eliminated from the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage for the second consecutive season. Nonetheless, he played a pivotal role in securing PSG’s 11th Ligue 1 title.
This summer, Messi made a surprising move by joining Inter Miami on a free transfer, where he swiftly made an impact by helping the team secure the Leagues Cup and a spot in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.
Erling Haaland, on the other hand, emerged as a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or. The Norwegian striker had a remarkable season, netting an astonishing 52 goals in 53 games across all competitions while representing Manchester City, who clinched the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League titles.
Haaland’s debut campaign in England was historic, breaking the Premier League’s single-season scoring record with an incredible 36 goals.
The young striker also received several individual accolades for his outstanding performances, including the PFA Player of the Year, Premier League’s Player of the Season, and Football Writers’ Association’s Men’s Player of the Year.
Unsurprisingly, this year’s list of nominees is dominated by players from Manchester City and Argentina. Seven players who contributed to City’s treble-winning campaign last season, including Haaland, have made the shortlist. Furthermore, there are four Argentine players, including Messi, who played pivotal roles in their nation’s third World Cup victory.
The complete list of men’s Ballon d’Or nominees for 2023:
– 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
2023 Ballon d’Or Nominees
– 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
2023 Ballon d’Or nomination list
– 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 race for the 2023 Ballon d’Or promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory, with Messi and Haaland emerging as the standout contenders. Football fans around the world will eagerly await the announcement on October 30 to see who will claim this prestigious title.
