Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and the 2022 winner Karim Benzema are on the list of nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or. No Cristiano Ronaldo, however.
Cristiano Ronaldo, five-time holder of the supreme individual award, exiled to the Saudi club al-Nassr, is not named.
KEYSTONE
Messi, world champion and hero of the final against France at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is favorite to win an eighth Ballon d’Or, despite his departure in the summer from PSG to Inter Miami and the American MLS, clearly less demanding than the European championships.
‘Leo’ Messi has nonetheless piled up the goals and assists since arriving in Florida. But he is now in competition with the new generation symbolized by the Norwegian stars Erling Haaland (23 years old) and French Kylian Mbappé (24 years old).
Haaland
Haaland won the UEFA Best Player of the 2022-23 trophy, scoring a whopping 52 goals in all competitions in his first season with Manchester City, including 39 in the Premier League – a record.
Mbappe
Mbappé was the other protagonist in the 2022 World Cup final, scoring the hat-trick to respond to Messi’s brace. He scored 36 goals in 42 appearances for PSG last season and started the new season on a high note with five goals already in three Ligue 1 matches.
Little new ones
Among the newcomers to the list, the English prodigy Jude Bellingham, recruited by Real Madrid this summer, his sidekick from the “Three Lions” Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), the young German from Bayern Munich Jamal Musiala or the new striker from PSG Randal Kolo Muani.
Ronaldo on the sidelines
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo, five-time holder of the supreme individual award, exiled to the Saudi club al-Nassr, is not named.
Five Spaniards
On the women’s side, the Spanish selection, which won the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer, places five players, including four from FC Barcelona – Aitana Bonmati (winner of the UEFA prize), Patricia Guijarro, Mapi Leon, Salma Paralluelo. The fifth, Olga Carmona, the only scorer in the final against England, comes to Real Madrid.
Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon were named despite their assumed absence from this World Cup: they were among the “rebellious” refusing to play under the orders of ex-coach Jorge Vilda, sacked since the final in the turmoil of the Luis affair Rubiales.
On the other hand, their compatriot Alexia Putellas, Ballon d’Or in 2021 and 2022, does not appear in the list. Seriously injured in a knee, she has been away from the field for a long time for almost the entire season.
The 2023 Ballon d’Or award ceremony will take place on October 30 in Paris.
ATS
2023-09-07 03:04:21
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