Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé or the 2022 winner Karim Benzema are among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or 2023. However, Cristiano Ronaldo is not included.
Messi, World Cup champion and hero of the final against France in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is the favorite to win his eighth Ballon d’Or, despite his departure from PSG to Inter Miami and the less competitive American MLS in the summer.
‘Leo’ Messi has still scored multiple goals and decisive assists since joining Florida. But now he is facing competition from the new generation represented by Norwegian star Erling Haaland (23 years old) and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé (24 years old).
Newcomers
The first one won the UEFA Best Player of the 2022-23 season award, scoring an impressive 52 goals in all competitions in his first season with Manchester City, including 39 in the Premier League – a record.
The latter was the other protagonist of the 2022 World Cup final, scoring a hat-trick in response to Messi’s brace. He scored 36 goals in 42 matches for PSG last season and has started the new season strongly with already five goals in three Ligue 1 matches.
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time holder of the highest individual award, who is currently playing for Saudi Arabian club al-Nassr, is not nominated.
Among the newcomers on the list are English prodigy Jude Bellingham, who was recruited by Real Madrid this summer, his ‘Three Lions’ teammate Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), young German player Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich, and PSG’s new striker Randal Kolo Muani.
Five Spaniards
In the women’s category, the Spanish national team, which won the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer, has five players on the list, including four from FC Barcelona – Aitana Bonmati (UEFA award winner), Patricia Guijarro, Mapi Leon, Salma Paralluelo. The fifth one, Olga Carmona, who scored the only goal in the final against England, plays for Real Madrid.
Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon have been nominated despite their intentional absence from the World Cup: they were part of the ‘rebellious’ group refusing to play under the orders of former coach Jorge Vilda, who was fired after the final due to the Luis Rubiales incident.
On the other hand, their compatriot Alexia Putellas, the Ballon d’Or winner in 2021 and 2022, is not included in the list. She suffered a serious knee injury and was sidelined for most of the season.
The Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony will take place on October 30th in Paris.
/ATS
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