The Ballon d’Or 2023 award will be presented to the best player for the 2022/23 season. Less than two months remain for the front-runners to up their game and provide a strong case for winning the prestigious trophy.
After winning the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi is considered the overwhelming favourite to win this year’s award, but nothing is guaranteed. The Champions League tournament will once again play a significant role in determining the winner. Let’s look at the players who might finish in the top three and compete with Messi for the trophy.
Five Potential Candidates for the Ballon d’Or 2023 Award
⭐️ MESSI ⭐️
Our @adidas Golden Ball Award winner!#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022
The FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League are the two biggest competitions this season, and their outcomes will be crucial in determining who wins the Ballon d’Or. The top three finishers will likely comprise of players who represent either the World Cup champions or the Champions League winner – and potentially both.
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Each will be evaluated on how they contributed to the success of their respective teams as well as how they performed on an individual basis to determine the final winner. Here are the top five players competing for the coveted prize:
Victor Osimhen (Napoli and Nigeria)
Napoli’s Nigerian hitman Victor Osimhen has been in prolific form since the beginning of the season. He is currently leading the Serie A goal-scoring chart. As of April 4 2023, Osimhen has netted 25 goals and assisted five for his club.
Napoli’s league title is all but confirmed, and they have been dominant in this season’s UEFA Champions League with a favourable draw increasing their chances of success. If Napoli win both domestic and European titles, Victor Osimhen would be considered the main force behind those achievements.
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil)
Vinicius Junior has certainly stepped up for Real Madrid in the European competition this season. He is their leading goal scorer in the UCL with six goals and has three assists as of April 4 2023. Real Madrid are unlikely to win this season’s La Liga but can still hope for Champions League glory. If the Los Blancos are to reach the UCL final, Vinicius Jr. will have to play a key role up front.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
Erling Haaland hasn’t stopped scoring ever since making his Manchester City debut this season, scoring 42 goals in 37 appearances for the club. The Norwegian is set to break the Premier League’s most goals in a single season record in his very first campaign in English football. He also scored five goals in a single UCL match, equaling Messi’s record. If Manchester City win the Champions League this season and Haaland breaks multiple notable records, he would be one of the prime candidates for the Ballon d’Or award.
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Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain and France)
Kylian Mbappe’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or award are very slim since both he and Messi play for the same side. Paris Saint-Germain are already out of the Champions League after losing to Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. So, Kylian’s key performance indicator would be how he performed in the Qatar World Cup. He was the golden boot winner after scoring the most goals with eight, but ultimately lost the tournament to Argentina in the final.
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina)
With his excellent performance at the FIFA World Cup in December, Argentina captain Lionel Messi is presently the clear favourite to win the Ballon d’Or trophy. He was instrumental in his nation’s winning of the World Cup and was awarded the FIFA Golden Ball for his excellent displays. Messi undeniably has the strongest case, but with his side unable to win the Champions League, it is no guarantee that he will be crowned the Ballon d’Or 2023 winner.
