Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland lead the men’s shortlist for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, while Aitana Bonmati of Spain leads the women’s nominees.
Messi, 36, has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards in his brilliant career and is favoured to earn another after assisting Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Erling Haaland will be one of his main rivals in the race for the 2023 Ballon d’or after scoring 52 goals in his debut season for Manchester City, helping Pep Guardiola’s team achieve a historic triple of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Five more Manchester City players have been named on the Ballon d’or shortlist, while Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain might challenge Haaland and Messi for the accolade.
Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final and, despite losing, brought France within a whisker of defending their title.
Karim Benzema, who won the Ballon d’or award in 2022, is also on the list, but there is no room for Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a disappointing season with Manchester United before joining Saudi club Al-Nassr in January.
The shortlist also includes England’s Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka.
Aitana Bonmati of Spain has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or Feminin after leading Spain to a World Cup triumph and winning the Golden Ball.
Bonmati appears to be the frontrunner, although she faces competition from England’s Milie Bright, Georgia Stanway, Rachel Daly, and Mary Earps.
England finished second to Spain in the World Cup.
Sam Kerr, who finished third in 2021 and 2022, did not receive a nomination despite contributing 29 goals to Chelsea’s domestic double in 2023.
Alexia Putellas, champion in 2021 and 2022, is also out after missing much of the year due to injuries.
Bonmati, on the other hand, might make it three winners for Spain in as many years if she wins.
Real Madrid’s Bellingham is the frontrunner to win the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the world’s greatest under-21 player, ahead of Manchester United’s offseason signing Rasmus Dahlin.
Ederson, Aaron Ramsdale, Andre Onana, and Emiliano Martinez are among the Premier League players nominated for the Yashin Trophy, which is given to the finest custodian of the year.
The nominees for the men’s ballon d’or include:
Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City
Andre Onana (Manchester United)
Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint Germain)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Nicola Barella (Inter Milan)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal)
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter MIlan)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Rodri (Barcelona)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint German)
Kim Min-Jae (Bayern Munich)
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
The nominees for the 2023 women’s balon d’or
Alba Redondo (Levante Union Deportiva)
Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon)
Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
Olga Carmona (Real Madrid)
Amanda Ilestedt (Arsenal)
Hayley Raso (Real Madrid)
Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United)
Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
Millie Bright (Chelsea)
Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa)
Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg)
Debinha (Kansas City)
Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
Jill Roord (Manchester City)
Alexandria Popp (Wolfsburg)
Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Mary Earps (Manchester United)
Wendie Renard (Lyon)
Mapi Leon (Barcelona)
Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
Kopa trophy 2023 nominees include
Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Alejandro Balde (Barcelona)
Pedri (Barcelona)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Antonio Silva (Benfica)
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig)
Gavi (Barcelona)
Elye Wahi (Lens)
Yashin Trophy nominees are:
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Yasssine Bounou (Al Hilal)
Andre Onana (Manchester United)
Dominik Livakovic (Fenerbahce)
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona)
Ederson (Manchester City)
Brice Samba (Lens)
