There are simply no more words to describe Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old Argentinian superstar put in a fantastic performance at Qatar 2022 to bring the Albiceleste back to the promised land, in one of the greatest feats in the sport’s history.
Unsurprisingly, Messi has won every possible award since then, including the World Cup Golden Ball and The Best of FIFA awards. So it wouldn’t be surprising if he leads the race for the next Ballon d’Or.
The prestigious accolade awarded by France Football no longer takes into account the calendar year but rather rewards the club season, so Messi’s presence in the World Cup should be taken into account. Reportedly, his biggest opponent is neither Karim Benzema nor Kylian Mbappe.
Messi’s possible contender for the 2023 Ballon d’Or
According to Goal, Messi is the favorite to win the award in August, followed by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. It’s not exactly a surprise as the Norwegian can’t help but find the net in England.
1 – Lionel Messi
2 – Erling Haaland
3 – Kylian Mbappe
4 – Vinicius Jr.
5 – Karim Benzema
6 – Victor Osimhen
7 – Khvisha Kvaratskhelia
8 – Kevin De Bruyne
9 – Marcus Rashford
10 – Robert Lewandowski
11 – Casemiro
12 – Bruno Fernandes
13 – Bukayo Saka
14 – Nicolo Barella
15 – Julian Alvarez
