Lionel Messi has also once again been said to have won the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, according to reports.
Reports indicate that all other formalities are set to be confirmed, but Messi will win his 8th Ballon d’Or award on Monday, October 30, 2023.
The award ceremony will be held in Paris and there are reports expressing that Lionel Messi’s camp have been informed of his victory.
The Argentine is expected to travel to France with his family to win a historical 8th Ballon d’Or award.
Other favorites like Erling Braut Haaland and Kylian Mbappe have been sidestepped for the award, despite their outstanding contributions last campaign.
Haaland won the treble – Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League with Manchester City last season, but it appears his efforts will go unrewarded.
The Norwegian scored 52 goals and provided 9 assists in 53 appearances for the Cityzens last campaign.
Kylian Mbappe also made it to the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, winning the tournament Golden Boot after ending as the top-scorer with 8 goals.
Mbappe also assisted Paris Saint Germain in winning their record 11th Ligue 1 title in history and the Trophée des Champions.
The Frenchman scored 41 goals and provided 10 assists in 43 club appearances last season.
Why is Messi winning his 8th Ballon d’Or award?
Lionel Messi won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and that looks to be the deciding factor in him potentially winning the crown.
Messi finished as the second top-scorer at the mundial with 7 goals scored, and those goals were instrumental to Argentina winning their 3rd World Cup title in history.
The 36-year-old also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint Germain and the Trophée des Champions.
Lionel Messi scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 appearances for the Parisians last season.
The Ballon d’Or award has generated a lot of controversy across the years, and the 2023 edition isn’t expected to be an exception.
In the past 2 decades players who do well in World Cup years, often time end up as the recipient of the Ballon d’Or award.
However, 2010 and 2014 was shocking to many, seeing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo go home with the award, over challengers like Wesley Sneijder and Manuel Neuer respectively.
Reactions to Lionel Messi winning the 2023 Ballon d’Or award
Many individuals across the globe are already opposing reports of Lionel Messi being handed the award, as they feel challengers like “Erling Haaland” have been robbed.
Some are also still on the divide that the Ballon d’Or has become a PR award, stressing that if Messi had the kind of season that Haaland had, there wouldn’t be any contention over the next winner.
Karim Benzema is the current holder of the award, winning the 2022 Ballon d’Or award, having had an outstanding season with Real Madrid.
The Frenchman assisted the club in winning the La Liga title, UEFA Champions League, and Supercopa de Espana to end up as winner.
Benzema scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists in 46 appearances for Los Blancos across all competitions in the 2021/22 season.
