Cristiano Ronaldo has been dealt an unrelenting blow after learning that he has not been shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or. Neymar, Mane and Mahrez are missing from the list, and Lionel Messi is favorite to win the trophy for the eighth time.
Cristiano Ronaldo was not nominated for the Ballon d’Or trophy
Cristiano Ronaldo took a huge risk when he left European football and chose the contract in Saudi Arabia. He earns $500 million in two and a half years with Al Nassr, but is still further away from the big trophies. On October 30, in Paris, the Ballon d’Or for the 2022-2023 season will be awarded, and his name is not on the list of contenders. First time in 20 years.
It’s true that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner couldn’t even lay claim to it with his only notable performance last season being the quarter-final with Portugal at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
And not only Cristiano Ronaldo is missing, but also other important names in world football. Neymar is paying dearly for Brazil’s failure since the final tournament and the fact that he played little at PSG, but this list does not include Champions League winner and Premier League champion Mahrez, Mane and Thibaut Courtois, who in last year’s edition he revolted because the goalkeepers are not taken into account
Lionel Messi entered the race for the eighth Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi is once again the main favorite to win the trophy after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup triumph. It would be the eighth trophy won by the South American star and the first by a footballer who does not play on the European continent , the journalists from The Sun explain.
The 30 candidates for the Ballon d’Or 2023
Andre Onana (Inter – actual Manchester United / Camerun)
Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig – currently Manchester City / Croatia)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid – current Al-Ittihad / France)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern / Germania)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / Egypt)
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund – actual Real Madrid / Anglia)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal / Anglia)
Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt – currently PSG / France)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / Belgium)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City / Portugalia)
Yassine Bounou (Seville – current Al-Hilal / Maroc)
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal / Norvegia)
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City / Argentina)
Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City – actual Barcelona / Germania)
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid / Brazil)
Lionel Messi (PSG – actual Inter Miami / Argentina)
Rodri (Manchester City / Spain)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter / Argentina)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico / France)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona / Polonia)
Kylian Mbappe (PSG / France)
Kim Min-Jae (Napoli – currently Bayern / South Korea)
Victor Osimhen (Naples / Nigeria)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid / Croatia)
Harry Kane (Tottenham – actual Bayern / Anglia)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa / Argentina)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli / Georgia)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City / Portugalia)
Nicolo Barella (Inter / Italy)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City / Norway)
TOP 10 players in the race for the Ballon d’Or, season 2022/2023, according to Goal
The British publication Goal updated at the end of last season the ranking of footballers who are engaged in the race for the most prestigious individual trophy in football. Lionel Messi is in first place.
Lionel Messi (PSG – currently Inter Miami / Argentina) – 38 goals, 25 assists. Trophies: World Cup, Ligue 1, French Super Cup
Erling Haaland (Manchester City / Norway) – 53 goals, 9 assists. Trophies: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup
Kylian Mbappe (PSG / France) – 53 goals, 14 assists. Trophies: Ligue 1
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid / Brazil) – 24 goals, 25 assists. Trophies: King’s Cup, Club World Championship, UEFA Super Cup
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / Belgium) – 10 goals, 32 assists. Trophies: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup
Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City – currently Barcelona / Germany) – 13 goals, 7 assists. Trophies: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup
Victor Osimhen (Napoli / Nigeria) – 31 goals, 5 assists. Trophies: Serie A
Rodri (Manchester City / Spain) – 4 goals, 7 assists. Trophies: Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona / Poland) – 35 goals, 10 assists. Trophies: La Liga, Spanish Super Cup
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City / Argentina) – 23 goals, 6 assists. World Cup, Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
