Ballon d'Or 2023: Who can stop favourite Lionel Messi from winning an eighth trophy? What are the latest odds?
Lionel Messi is the runaway favourite to claim his eighth Ballon d’Or when the trophy for the world’s best footballer is awarded for 2023.
The Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on Monday, October 30.
Thirty players feature on the shortlist, but is it really worth any of them turning up with Messi thought to be nailed on to pick up the Golden Ball once more?
We have taken our pick of five players who may be worth keeping an eye on.
Erling Haaland
Surely Messi’s closest rival for the trophy is Erling Haaland - and the bookies seem to think so too, with the Manchester City striker second-favourite to land the Ballon d’Or.
The Norwegian forward was lethal in 2022/23, scoring 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions, as Pep Guardiola’s side swept up Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup trophies.
Haaland has already added to his personal trophy collection after winning UEFA’s player of the year award.
Kevin De Bruyne
Seven of Manchester City’s Treble winners made the shortlist with Ruben Dias, Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Rodi and Ilkay Gundogan all named.
However, in terms of challenging for the trophy with Messi and Haaland, their Belgian midfield wizard Kevin De Bruyne is the standout contender.
De Bruyne finished third in the standings in 2022 and the bookies think it could be the same outcome again for the man who provided 41 goal involvements in 49 appearances across all competitions last season - finishing with the most assists in the Premier League.
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham’s transformation into a world-beating midfielder is very much ongoing with his stock only rising more since his huge move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid.
As well as making an instant impact at the Bernabeu with 10 goals in his first 10 games, the former Birmingham youngster has also established himself as one of England’s most important players.
Bellingham, 20, might be unlikely to have a sniff of the main prize, but he is also nominated for the Kopa Trophy, given to the world’s best Under-21 player. No Englishman has won the trophy before.Kylian Mbappe
Bagging the sixth Ballon d’Or nomination of his career came on the back of Mbappe scoring 54 goals in 56 matches for club and country last season.
Despite seemingly permanent confusion surrounding his future at Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe won the Ligue 1 title and finished top scorer in France’s top division.
A hat-trick in the final of the World Cup earned Mbappe the tournament’s Golden Boot, pipping Messi to the award with eight goals and two assists in Qatar. But, of course, it was Messi who lifted the main prize.
Karim Benzema
Last year’s winner Karim Benzema is worthy of a mention, especially as he is one of only two players not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to have won the trophy since 2007. Luka Modric was the other.
Despite missing France’s run to the World Cup final due to injury, Benzema scored 31 goals in all competitions in his final season in the Spanish capital, leaving the Bernabeu as the second highest scorer in the club’s history.
