The Ballon d’Or is one of the most prestigious awards in football, given annually to the best player on the planet. It has been awarded since 1956 and since then, some of the greatest names in football have taken home this coveted prize. With that said, it’s time to take a look at who might be up for contention for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award. Here are some of the top contenders and their current odds as well as what they need to do in order to get their hands on this illustrious trophy come 2023.
Messi
Lionel Messi has been one of the greatest footballers in history and is widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the game. He has won the Ballon D’or five times, more than any other player and is a symbol of excellence for all soccer fans. As we head towards 2023, he will be at the peak of his powers, a man who has dominated the sport for nearly two decades and is still capable of producing moments of brilliance that few others can. Messi is one of the key players of 21st-century football, who has a huge impact on the match’s outcome. When he’s on the field, even bookies who are setting odds are always taking the side of the team where Messi is playing, you can check this by taking a look at some odds his upcoming matches, with the most popular betting apps for football by clicking on the link.
Messi’s remarkable skill set makes him an obvious candidate to win the Ballon D’or in 2023; he is an attacking maestro who possesses incredible dribbling ability and possess great strength on the ball, able to beat defenders with ease. His vision is exceptional, capable of finding teammates in tight spaces or creating chances from nothing with his passes. On top of this, he scores goals for fun with his trademark left-footed strikes from both inside and outside of the box. His creativity and leadership on and off the field are also second to none, making him stand out from every other player in world football.
Furthermore, Messi has consistently borne a huge burden as both Barcelona’s captain and talisman over the last few years while they have struggled both domestically and in Europe. Despite this significant weight on his shoulders, he still managed to register an incredible 72 goals across all competitions last season – some feat considering how poor Barcelona have been on occasions throughout 2020/21 campaign. This shows a remarkable level of dedication which no doubt will see him rewarded with another Ballon D’or come 2023 if he can maintain this level of performance over the next couple of seasons.
Barcelona’s fortunes could improve significantly over that period too; they already have some promising young talent such as Francisco Trincao, Pedri Gonzalez and Ansu Fati ready to make their mark on European football alongside established veterans like Lionel Messi himself. If these players can develop together under new coach Ronald Koeman then it could give them just what they need to challenge for major honors again in 2022/2023 season – something that would only enhance Messi’s chances even further when it comes time for voting for Ballon D’or 2023 award recipients.
Overall, Lionel Messi looks poised to add yet another Ballon D’or trophy to his illustrious CV come 2023 if he can remain at peak fitness over that period; combining his immense talent together with Barcelona’s potential resurgence gives him an excellent chance at claiming what would be his sixth career individual honor – a remarkable achievement which would cement his name amongst footballing royalty forevermore.
Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is one of the brightest stars in world football and his tremendous potential has been on full show over the past few years. He is already a two-time Ligue 1 champion, a FIFA World Cup winner, and already holds the record for being the youngest player ever to reach 50 goals in Ligue 1. His blistering pace, clinical finishing ability, and eye for goal make him one of the most dangerous players on a pitch; he has been at the forefront of Paris Saint-Germain’s success since joining them in 2018 and is widely regarded as one of Europe’s best players. Mbappe has all of the attributes to succeed and become a future Ballon d’Or winner. He is now entering his peak years as a footballer and it would be no surprise if he claims another Ligue 1 title next season with PSG; this together with potential success in Europe could put him firmly in contention for 2023’s Ballon d’Or award. On top of this, he possesses excellent leadership qualities – something which sets him apart from many other footballers and could be key when it comes to voters making their decisions come 2023. Furthermore, Mbappe’s involvement in several charity projects across France only adds another layer to his appeal; by using his status as one of the world’s best footballers to give back to those who need it most he further enhances his image amongst fans all over the globe. This could play an important role when deciding who will win Ballon d’Or 2023 award as people are more likely to vote for someone they can relate to or admire off the field rather than just based on their playing ability alone.
Overall, Kylian Mbappe looks set to become one of European football’s greatest ever players over the next few years; with consistent high level performances both domestically and internationally coupled with a humanitarian spirit that resonates well outside of football itself, there is every reason why Mbappe should get his hands on Ballon D’or 2023 come time for voting. His immense talent coupled with increasing maturity makes him an obvious choice for what would be his first individual accolade – something that many believe he deserves based on how impressive he has been since bursting onto the scene back in 2017.
When it comes to Ballon d’Or 2023, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are two of the most likely contenders. While Messi has five individual awards already under his belt, he is still performing at a very high level and if Barcelona can have success in 2022/2023 season then this could give him just what he needs to challenge for another award come voting time. On the other hand, Mbappe’s immense talent combined with his humanitarian spirit make him an excellent candidate; with consistent performances across Europe coupled with leadership qualities that set him apart from many others, there is no doubt that he should be considered amongst favorites when it comes time for voters to decide who will win Ballon D’or 2023. Ultimately only time will tell who wins this prestigious personal honor but we can safely say that these two players look poised to battle it out until the end!
