The nominees for the 67th Ballon d'Or have been announced, with Lionel Messi hot favourite to be crowned the best footballer in the world from the 2022-23 season. 

The Ballon d'Or takes place on 29th October where Karim Benzema is reigning champion, but the Frenchman looks unlikely to recapture his crown, with Messi set to secure a record eighth gong. 

Ballon d'Or odds:

Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or	1/6
Erling Haaland to win the Ballon d'Or	7/2
Vinicius Jr to win the Ballon d'Or	50/1
Kevin De Bruyne to win the Ballon d'Or	50/1
Rodri to win the Ballon d'Or	50/1

Ballon d'Or nominees:

André Onana	Manchester United/Cameroon
Antoine Griezmann	Atletico Madrid/France
Bernardo Silva	Manchester City/Portugal
Bukayo Saka	Arsenal/England
Emiliano Martínez	Aston Villa/Argentina
Erling Haaland	Manchester City/Norway
Harry Kane	Bayern Munich/England
Ilkay Gündogan	Barcelona/Germany
Jamal Musiala	Bayern Munich/Germany
Josko Gvardiol	Manchester City/Croatia
Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid/England
Julián Álvarez	Manchester City/Argentina
Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad
Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City/Belgium
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia	Napoli/Georgia
Kim Min-jae	Napoli/South Korea
Kylian Mbappé	Paris Saint-Germain/France
Lautaro Martínez	Inter Milan/Argentina
Lionel Messi	Inter Miami/Argentina
Luka Modric	Real Madrid/Croatia
Martin Ødegaard	Arsenal/Norway
Mohamed Salah	Liverpool/Egypt
Nicolo Barella	Inter Milan/Italy
Randal Kolo Muani	Paris Saint-Germain/France
Robert Lewandowski	Barcelona/Poland
Rodri	Manchester City/Spain
Rúben Dias	Manchester City/Portugal
Victor Osimhen	Napoli/Nigeria
Vinícius Júnior	Real Madrid/Brazil
Yassine Bounou	Al Hilal/Morocco

Previous Ballon d'Or winners:

Year	Player	Team	Points
1956	Stanley Matthews	Blackpool	47
1957	Alfredo Di Stéfano	Real Madrid	72
1958	Raymond Kopa	Real Madrid	71
1959	Alfredo Di Stéfano	Real Madrid	80
1960	Luis Suárez	Barcelona	54
1961	Omar Sívori	Juventus	46
1962	Josef Masopust	Dukla Prague	65
1963	Lev Yashin	Dynamo Moscow	73
1964	Denis Law	Manchester United	61
1965	Eusébio	Benfica	67
1966	Bobby Charlton	Manchester United	81
1967	Flórián Albert	Ferencváros	68
1968	George Best	Manchester United	61
1969	Gianni Rivera	Milan	83
1970	Gerd Müller	Bayern Munich	77
1971	Johan Cruyff	Ajax	116
1972	Franz Beckenbauer	Bayern Munich	81
1973	Johan Cruyff	Barcelona	96
1974	Johan Cruyff	Barcelona	116
1975	Oleg Blokhin	Dynamo Kyiv	122
1976	Franz Beckenbauer	Bayern Munich	91
1977	Allan Simonsen	Borussia Mönchengladbach	74
1978	Kevin Keegan	Hamburger SV	87
1979	Kevin Keegan	Hamburger SV	118
1980	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	Bayern Munich	122
1981	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	Bayern Munich	106
1982	Paolo Rossi	Juventus	115
1983	Michel Platini	Juventus	110
1984	Michel Platini	Juventus	110
1985	Michel Platini	Juventus	127
1986	Igor Belanov	Dynamo Kyiv	84
1987	Ruud Gullit	Milan	106
1988	Marco van Basten	Milan	129
1989	Marco van Basten	Milan	129
1990	Lothar Matthäus	Inter Milan	137
1991	Jean-Pierre Papin	Marseille	141
1992	Marco van Basten	Milan	98
1993	Roberto Baggio	Juventus	142
1994	Hristo Stoichkov	Barcelona	210
1995	George Weah	Milan	144
1996	Matthias Sammer	Borussia Dortmund	144
1997	Ronaldo	Inter Milan	222
1998	Zinedine Zidane	Juventus	244
1999	Rivaldo	Barcelona	219
2000	Luís Figo	Real Madrid	197
2001	Michael Owen	Liverpool	176
2002	Ronaldo	Real Madrid	169
2003	Pavel Nedvěd	Juventus	190
2004	Andriy Shevchenko	Milan	175
2005	Ronaldinho	Barcelona	225
2006	Fabio Cannavaro	Real Madrid	173
2007	Kaká	Milan	444
2008	Cristiano Ronaldo	Manchester United	446
2009	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	473
2010	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	22.65%
2011	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	47.88%
2012	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	41.60%
2013	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	27.99%
2014	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	37.66%
2015	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	41.33%
2016	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	745
2017	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	946
2018	Luka Modrić	Real Madrid	753
2019	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	686
2021	Lionel Messi	Paris Saint-Germain	613
2022	Karim Benzema	Real Madrid	549

Below, we analyse the key contenders to see if anyone can stop Messi from once again making football history.

Lionel Messi 

Ballon d'Or odds - 1/12

Lionel Messi holds the record for most Ballon d'Or wins, taking home the famous trophy seven times, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

The Argentinian is two clear of his rival Cristiano Ronaldo and is a short-priced favourite to increase that lead with victory in the 2023 edition following a dramatic campaign that saw the 36-year-old finally secure the World Cup.

Messi, who had fallen short at four previous World Cups, eventually lifted the trophy in an end-to-end final in Qatar, where he netted twice against Kylian Mbappe and France before his team won via penalty shootout, in which Messi found the net.

The forward netted seven times in the tournament, becoming the first player ever to win two Golden Ball trophies and breaking the record for most games played at a World Cup, 26, in the process.

The victory meant that Argentina secured their first World Cup title since 1986 and ensured that Messi had ticked off almost all international and domestic trophies he had played in.

At 36 years old it was almost certainly the former Barcelona man’s last opportunity to win the World Cup and he wrapped it up in an ending more suited to a Hollywood film.

A disappointing season with Paris Saint Germain doesn’t seem to have hurt Messi’s chances of securing the Ballon d'Or again and his recent move to Inter Miami started in the best possible way, scoring a late winning free kick on his debut before two goals and an assist in his second match.

Given the popularity of Messi and the achievement of finally winning a World Cup in as dramatic fashion as possible, it is not hard to see why the Argentinian is so short to secure football’s top award once more.   

Erling Haaland 

Ballon d'Or odds - 13/2

Manchester City had conquered all comers in English football but before last season had never secured Champions League glory before signing Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

The Norwegian broke records left, right and centre for his new side, netting 36 goals in the Premier League as the Citizens won their fifth title in the last six seasons.

Pep Guardiola’s side also took home the FA Cup after beating rivals Manchester United in the final and finally secured continental glory thanks to a Champions League final victory over Inter Milan.

Haaland netted 52 goals in total in his 53 games in his first season for Manchester City, including 12 in the 11 game run that saw his side win the Champions League.

The 23-year-old is a clear second-favourite to Messi to win the Ballon d'Or, but does he have enough to usurp the front runner?

Vinicius Jr 

Ballon d'Or odds - 50/1

Vinicius Jr landed in this year’s Champions League Team of the Season after netting seven times in 12 games in the tournament and continued that stellar form into the FIFA Club World Cup, where he secured both the Golden Ball and the tournament’s best player award.

He also netted his first ever goal at the World Cup for his country but Real Madrid missed out on the La Liga title and that may hurt his Ballon d'Or chances.

Kevin De Bruyne 

Ballon d'Or odds - 50/1

One of the key players of the Pep Guardiola era at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne played an instrumental role in the Citizens securing their treble, netting ten times in 49 matches and registering 26 assists in all competitions.

A disappointing World Cup campaign for the Belgian however, where he struggled with injuries, could count against him in this company. 

Rodri 

Ballon d'Or odds - 50/1

Rodri once again showed his worth to Manchester City with a season of solid performances and crucial goals on their way to securing the treble.

The Spaniard netted four goals and registered six assists in all competitions but netted the crucial winner in the Champions League final to forever etch himself into Manchester City folklore as the player to win the club their first European trophy.

However Spain falling short in Qatar could be an issue for his chances of Ballon d'Or glory, alongside the fact that the other contenders are much more headline-making in their roles.