The likely winner of the 2023 Ballon d’Or Award, the most prestigious individual award in the world of soccer, has been revealed, thanks to a leak from France Football.
Presented by the French magazine France Football, the Ballon d’Or has been a revered institution since 1956, recognizing the best players in the soccer world.
This year, the rumor mill is buzzing with whispers that Argentina’s maestro, Lionel Messi, is poised to secure his eighth Ballon d’Or.
Notably, the news about his triumph came early as the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards’ ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 30, at the Theatre du Chatelet in France.
Messi, at 36, reached the zenith of his illustrious career by leading Argentina to glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Messi speaks about the award
However, despite being the most decorated footballer in history, Messi remains remarkably humble about the Ballon d’Or.
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In his own words, he revealed, “I have said it many times, the Ballon d’Or is very important due to the recognition at the individual level, but I never gave it importance.
The most important thing for me was always the awards at the group level.”
Subsequently, Messi made waves after completing a transfer to the United States’ Major League Soccer from Paris St Germain in July.
Donning the jersey of Inter Miami, Messi has set the MLS ablaze with his mesmerizing displays, with record match attendances being recorded since his unveiling.
Ballon d’Or history
This impending victory holds extra significance for Messi, who narrowly missed the 2022 award, which went to Karim Benzema.
Moreover, the leak suggested that Messi has already been informed of his victory, setting the stage for the grand ceremony scheduled for October 30 in Paris.
Furthermore, what adds a unique chapter to this year’s Ballon d’Or narrative is that Messi’s imminent triumph will mark the first time the award is bestowed on a player who plies his trade outside of Europe.
This accomplishment would also put him three steps ahead of his perennial rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the prestigious award on five occasions.
Among the contenders for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Messi’s former PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, posed stiff competition.
Haaland clinched the Treble with Manchester City by scoring a remarkable fifty-two goals in fifty-three appearances.
Mbappe on the other hand, made an indelible mark in the 2022 FIFA World Cup by netting a hat-trick in the final against Messi’s Argentina and finishing as the top scorer.
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Messi acknowledges World Cup triumph
Messi during his Inter Miami unveiling highlighted that winning the World Cup was the most significant moment of his career after achieving so much at club level, especially at Barcelona.
“I was lucky to have achieved everything in my career, and after the World Cup, I’m thinking about that award much less, my biggest award was that, and I’m disguising my moment,” he said.
The former Barcelona captain went on to add, “If it arrives, good, and if not, nothing happens.
I was lucky to achieve all my goals in my career, and now I have new goals with this club.”
Ballon d’Or changes
Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or award merged temporarily with the FIFA World Player of the Year.
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This collaboration, known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or, ended in 2016, with FIFA reintroducing its separate annual award, The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
Historically, the Ballon d’Or honored the male player who excelled the most over the previous year, as determined by votes from football journalists.
However, in 2007, a notable change occurred when coaches and national team captains gained the right to vote, making the award a global recognition.
In 2022, France Football further modified the rules, basing the awards on a football season rather than a calendar year.
Notably, the rules also limited voting to countries only in the top one hundred of the FIFA World Ranking.
