The 2023 Ballon d’Or awards, slated for October 30th at the Theatre du Chatelet in France, stands as a long-standing tradition presented by France Football, celebrating the soccer world’s finest talents.
Moreover, this prestigious accolade, which has been an institution since 1956, has seen its share of transformations over the years.
Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year, giving rise to the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
However, in 2016, this partnership ended as FIFA reintroduced its independent annual award, The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
Intriguingly, the Ballon d’Or has historically honored the male player who excelled most over the previous year, determined by votes from esteemed football journalists.
France Football notably introduced further modifications in 2022, aligning the awards with the football season rather than the calendar year.
The Ballon d’Or Voting Process
To understand how the winners are decided, it’s essential to delve into the inner workings of this prestigious honor.
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Exclusively, a hundred sports journalists, one from each of FIFA’s top 100-ranked member nations, cast their votes for the Ballon d’Or.
However, there’s a twist as these journalists can’t freely choose their preferred player.
Instead, they must select from the thirty best nominees handpicked by France Football: September 2023, in this year’s case.
Furthermore, the judges don’t vote for just one player, with each journalist providing their top five selections.
The point system is simple but effective; the first pick earns six points, the second earns four points, with the third earning three points.
On the other hand, the fourth and fifth picks accumulate two and one point, respectively.
Furthermore, the player with the most points is crowned the Ballon d’Or winner. However, it’s not just a matter of popularity.
The judges must consider three key criteria including individual performance, collective performance and honors, and the players’ sense of fair play and on-field demeanor.
This award signifies the best player of the past season, not merely the calendar year, thus covering the period from August 2022 to July 2023 for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Awards.
Leaked Ballon d’Or 2023
As the world eagerly anticipates this grand event, earlier leaks from France Football Magazine suggest that Lionel Messi, Argentina’s football maestro, is poised to secure his eighth Ballon d’Or after a remarkable 2022/2023 season.
This news is certainly a surprise, as the award ceremony was scheduled for October 30, 2023, 8.45pm local time.
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This achievement would not only cement Messi’s status as one of the greatest footballers in history but also propel him three steps ahead of his rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Among the top contenders are Erling Haaland, who clinched the Treble with Manchester City, and Kylian Mbappe, whose performances in the 2022 FIFA World Cup caught the world’s attention.
Messi Speaks
However, despite being the most decorated footballer in history, Messi remains remarkably humble about the Ballon d’Or.
Messi, during his Inter Miami unveiling stated, “The Ballon d’Or is very important due to the recognition at the individual level, but I never gave it importance.”
With such anticipation and excitement surrounding this year’s Ballon d’Or awards, soccer fans worldwide eagerly await the crowning of the best player of the season, a decision that lay in the hands of a hundred dedicated sports journalists.
