In the past 12 months, football enthusiasts witnessed extraordinary performances at both the club and international levels, as the 2022 World Cup unfolded amid the usual domestic and European seasons.
This long list of nominees acknowledges those who excelled in Qatar and those who shone brightly for their respective club teams.
Lionel Messi is eagerly eyeing an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or victory, thanks to his pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
However, the 36-year-old maestro faces fierce competition from exceptional players like Manchester City’s dynamic duo, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who played pivotal roles in their team’s triumphant 2022/23 treble.
Kylian Mbappe continued to impress with another stellar individual year, while Jude Bellingham further solidified his status as one of the sport’s elite.
Nicolo Barella, Lautaro Martinez, and Andre Onana earned their places with their contributions to Inter Milan’s remarkable Champions League run, while Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard proudly represent Arsenal.
Karim Benzema, the reigning champion from 2022, is vying for a repeat, while Julian Alvarez stands out as the sole player who achieved both Champions League and World Cup glory during the 2022/23 season.
A noteworthy absence this year is Cristiano Ronaldo, who departed from Manchester United in November and made headlines by joining the Saudi Pro League revolution, marking the first time since 2003 that he hasn’t been nominated.
Ballon d’Or 2023 Nominees
- Julian Alvarez – Manchester City/Argentina
- Nicolo Barella – Inter/Italy
- Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid/England
- Karim Benzema – Real Madrid/Al Ittihad/France
- Yassine Bounou – Sevilla/Al Hilal/Morocco
- Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium
- Ruben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal
- Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France
- Ilkay Gundgan – Manchester City/Barcelona/Germany
- Josko Gvardiol – RB Leipzig/Manchester City/Croatia
- Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway
- Harry Kane – Tottenham/Bayern Munich/England
- Randal Kolo Muani – Eintracht Frankfurt/PSG/France
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia
- Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland
- Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa/Argentina
- Lautaro Martinez – Inter/Argentina
- Kylian Mbappe – PSG/France
- Lionel Messi – PSG/Inter Miami/Argentina
- Kim Min-jae – Napoli/Bayern Munich/South Korea
- Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia
- Jamal Muaiala – Bayern Munich/Germany
- Martin Odegaard – Arsenal/Norway
- Andre Onana – Inter/Manchester United/Cameroon
- Victor Osimhen – Napoli/Nigeria
- Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
- Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England
- Mohamed Salah – Liverpool/Egypt
- Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal
- Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid/Brazil
When is the Ballon d’Or 2023 Winner Announced?
The prestigious Ballon d’Or trophy will be awarded to the world’s best player on October 30th at a grand ceremony hosted at Theatre du Chatelet in the heart of Paris, France.