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Ballon d'Or 2023 Odds: Lionel Messi strong favourite

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'Or1/6
Erling Haaland to win the Ballon d'Or7/2
Vinicius Jr to win the Ballon d'Or50/1
Kevin De Bruyne to win the Ballon d'Or50/1
Rodri to win the Ballon d'Or50/1

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:

YearPlayerTeamPoints
1956 Stanley Matthews Blackpool47
1957 Alfredo Di Stéfano Real Madrid72
1958 Raymond Kopa Real Madrid71
1959 Alfredo Di Stéfano Real Madrid80
1960 Luis Suárez Barcelona54
1961 Omar Sívori Juventus46
1962 Josef Masopust Dukla Prague65
1963 Lev Yashin Dynamo Moscow73
1964 Denis Law Manchester United61
1965 Eusébio Benfica67
1966 Bobby Charlton Manchester United81
1967 Flórián Albert Ferencváros68
1968 George Best Manchester United61
1969 Gianni Rivera Milan83
1970 Gerd Müller Bayern Munich77
1971 Johan Cruyff Ajax116
1972 Franz Beckenbauer Bayern Munich81
1973 Johan Cruyff Barcelona96
1974 Johan Cruyff Barcelona116
1975 Oleg Blokhin Dynamo Kyiv122
1976 Franz Beckenbauer Bayern Munich91
1977 Allan Simonsen Borussia Mönchengladbach74
1978 Kevin Keegan Hamburger SV87
1979 Kevin Keegan Hamburger SV118
1980 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Bayern Munich122
1981 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Bayern Munich106
1982 Paolo Rossi Juventus115
1983 Michel Platini Juventus110
1984 Michel Platini Juventus110
1985 Michel Platini Juventus127
1986 Igor Belanov Dynamo Kyiv84
1987 Ruud Gullit Milan106
1988 Marco van Basten Milan129
1989 Marco van Basten Milan129
1990 Lothar Matthäus Inter Milan137
1991 Jean-Pierre Papin Marseille141
1992 Marco van Basten Milan98
1993 Roberto Baggio Juventus142
1994 Hristo Stoichkov Barcelona210
1995 George Weah Milan144
1996 Matthias Sammer Borussia Dortmund144
1997 Ronaldo Inter Milan222
1998 Zinedine Zidane Juventus244
1999 Rivaldo Barcelona219
2000 Luís Figo Real Madrid197
2001 Michael Owen Liverpool176
2002 Ronaldo Real Madrid169
2003 Pavel Nedvěd Juventus190
2004 Andriy Shevchenko Milan175
2005 Ronaldinho Barcelona225
2006 Fabio Cannavaro Real Madrid173
2007 Kaká Milan444
2008 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United446
2009 Lionel Messi Barcelona473
2010 Lionel Messi Barcelona22.65%
2011 Lionel Messi Barcelona47.88%
2012 Lionel Messi Barcelona41.60%
2013 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid27.99%
2014 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid37.66%
2015 Lionel Messi Barcelona41.33%
2016 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid745
2017 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid946
2018 Luka Modrić Real Madrid753
2019 Lionel Messi Barcelona686
2021 Lionel Messi Paris Saint-Germain613
2022 Karim Benzema Real Madrid549

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. 

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