Who will win the Ballon d’Or in 2023?
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are turning out to be the top contenders to win the trophy with the season they are having for both club and country.
Lionel Messi broke many individual records during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and led Argentina to win their third star by defeating France in the final. This was the only trophy missing in Messi’s career and it seems that he is en route to winning his eighth Ballon d’Or for the season he is having.
There is no set date for the Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony and there is only one player who could challenge Messi to be one of the top contenders to win football’s biggest individual award. His name is Kylian Mbappé, and he will finish 2022 with the most goals scored for club and country following his World Cup participation with France.
Messi’s numbers so far this year
The former FC Barcelona ace scored seven goals and provided three assists in seven appearances in Qatar. Messi also became the first player in the history of the World Cup to score in each of the seven games that Argentina played this tournament, including a brace in the final against France.
With Paris Saint-Germain, Messi is also having a breakout season in his second year at the Parc de Princes. He has scored 12 goals and provided 16 assists in 20 appearances across all competitions for PSG. Messi has helped Paris Saint-Germain to secure first place in the standings in Ligue 1 and they are in the knockout stages in the UEFA Champions League. The 35-year-old has scored a total of 35 goals in 2022.
Kylian Mbappé could challenge Messi
There is still half of the season left to play for the 23-year-old to keep making a case of his own, and he scored a hat-trick in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina. Mbappé also won the golden boot award at the end of the tournament and has scored a total of 55 goals in 2022. He has recorded 12 goals for France and 43 with PSG across all competitions.
The French international has scored one goal in 20 different games, a brace in 10 different matches and a hat-trick in five different fixtures for club and country. Mbappé was the best player for France at the World Cup and he is trying to lead PSG to win their first UEFA Champions League this season.