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The 2023 Ballon d’Or, the 67th edition, will take place on October 30 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris in France.
The prestigious individual annual award is presented by the popular French publication, France Football magazine.
For the second time in the history of the award, it will be given based on the results of the season instead of the calendar year, with the season starting on August 1, 2022, and ending on July 31, 2023.
The nominees were announced on September 6, 2023, with some heavyweights in the running for the award.
Among those nominated for the award are Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, current holder Karim Benzema, Bukayo Saka, Vinicius Junior, and Antoine Griezmann.
Also nominated are Kevin De Bruyne, Julian Alvarez, Ilkay Gundogan, Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, Rodri, Luka Modrić, amongst others.
Not a few believe that the 2023 Ballon d’Or award should be a straight battle between the seven-time winner of the award Messi and Treble winner Haaland.
While Messi’s highlight for the season in review is the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he led Argentina to a third title, Haaland played a key role in helping Manchester City win the treble, becoming the second English club, after Manchester United in 1999, to achieve the feat.
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But there is a certain Mbappe who cannot be overlooked and, in fact, named the recipient of the 2023 Ballon d’Or, judging by what he did for both club and country.
Ligue 1 top scorer
In a Paris Saint-Germain side that paraded the likes of Messi and Neymar, who are known for their scoring prowess, Mbappe still went ahead to finish as the top scorer in the 2022/23 league season.
Mbappe scored 29 goals in 34 league games to help PSG clinch the title; also, it was the fifth consecutive time he won the Golden Boot award in France.
Top scorer at Qatar 2022 World Cup
Unlike in previous seasons, the 2022 World Cup was staged in between the football season, which means a halt in the various leagues.
This did not in any way deter Mbappe as he carried his club form to the tournament and emerged as the top scorer with eight goals, edging his then club mate at PSG, Messi, who scored seven goals.
Netting a first World Cup final hat-trick since 1966
Prior to the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, the only time an individual scored a hat-trick in the final was in the 1966 edition.
Sir Geoffrey Hurst was the first man to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final when he helped England beat then West Germany 4-2.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates one of his World Cup goals. Photo by AFPBut at the 2022 tournament, Mbappe became the second man to achieve this as he bagged a hat-trick in the epic final between France and Argentina.
Argentina had raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria in the first half.
Mbappe dragged France back into the game as he netted in the 80th and 81st minutes to send the game into extra-time.
Messi got his second of the game in the early part of the first half of extra time to put Argentina 3-2 ahead.
But with two minutes left, Mbappe completed his hat-trick to end the game 3-3 with Argentina going on to win 4-2 via a penalty shootout.
Standout player in an injury-hit French squad
France went to the 2022 FIFA World Cup without some of their key players, no thanks to injuries.
The likes of Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Christopher Nkunku, Karim Benzema did not make the squad because of various forms of injury setbacks.
But up stepped Mbappe, who dragged his side all the way to the final by scoring in four of their seven games at the tournament.
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