The conclusion of the calendar year can represent one of the biggest awards nights for the football industry, with the best players coming together and celebrating what has been achieved over the previous 12 months.
The highlight of the event is the crowning of the best footballer in the world for that period, with the award known as the Ballon d’Or. There have been numerous winners in the past, although Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated proceedings for the last two decades or so.
Nonetheless, footballing stars such as Karim Benzema and Luka Modric having broken the monopoly that the two GOATs of the sport have had on the award. Before Modric’s win in 2018, the last time someone other than the Argentine or Portuguese superstars had won the prestigious prize was back in 2007 when Brazilian Kaka won it when playing for AC Milan.
When is the 2023 Ballon d’Or?
The 2023 Ballon d’Or will be the 67th time that this annual event has been held, with France Football magazine being the presenters of the award. Didier Drogba will be hosting the awards night this time around, with proceedings scheduled to take place on October 30 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
The men’s Ballon d’Or award will not be the only award that is on offer, though, as there are numerous other accolades being handed out. The women’s Ballon d’Or Féminin will also be presented, while other awards including the the Kopa Trophy, the Yashin Trophy, the Socrates Award, the Gerd Müller Trophy and a Club of the Year trophy will all be presented on the night.
Who are the favorites to win the 2023 Men’s Ballon d’Or award?
Given how popular football has become with betting enthusiasts, even awards nights as big as the Ballon d’Or spectacular attracts punters who are looking for opportunities to enhance their experiences and love for the sport. With the nominations having already been revealed, odds from bookmakers like Red 32 sport have already been made available. For a quick rundown, here are the favorites according to the odds presented…
- Lionel Messi @ 1/6
- Erling Haaland @ 15/4
- Kevin De Bruyne @ 40/1
- Rodri @ 40/1
- Karim Benzema @ 50/1
- Vinicius Junior @ 50/1
- Kylian Mbappe @ 66/1
- Julian Alvarez @ 80/1
Is the 2023 Ballon d’Or a foregone conclusion?
If the odds published are anything to go by, it would appear that the race to be crowned the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner is already a foregone conclusion. Lionel Messi is the clear favorite to win it. If he does, it would make him an eight-time winner of the award.
Of course, what he has managed to do over the last year of football is something that cannot be understated and perhaps is the reason why he appears to be the runaway winner. He helped Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar with an important contribution, while he has also had a profound impact on Inter Miami and the sport in North America following his arrival.
However, it is important to remember that there is another individual that could still be in the running. While the odds perhaps suggest that he does not have a chance this year, Erling Haaland’s continued impact on the sport is nothing short of extraordinary. There will have been many that would have questioned whether he could do what he had done at Borussia Dortmund when he moved to Manchester City, and he silenced those doubters.
He broke the Premier League record for most goals in a season, while he also helped the Cityzens win the UEFA Champions League for the very first time, which is perhaps why Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, and Julian Alvarez are also included (with the latter winning the FIFA World Cup, too).
While there does not appear to be much chance of winning the award from Messi this year, there is always next year for Haaland. If he continues to perform and be as impactful on the pitch in the same way he has been over the last few years, he might be in the running to overtake the total number of Ballon d’Or titles that the Argentine has managed to claim.