The Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony was held on Monday, 30 October, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. The event, hosted by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, recognized the best footballers in the world in the 2022–23 season.
Lionel Messi won his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or, while Aitana Bonmati claimed her first Ballon d’Or Féminin. Here are the details, highlights, and results of the prestigious awards night.
Ballon d’Or 2023 Highlights
Messi’s win was a popular one, as he had a stellar year for both club and country. He led Argentina to the World Cup title, scoring seven goals and winning the Golden Ball award. He also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
Bonmati’s win was also well-deserved. She had a fantastic season for Barcelona, winning the Champions League and the Spanish league. She also played a key role in Spain’s World Cup success, winning the Golden Ball award.
Haaland, Bellingham, and Martinez were all worthy winners of their respective awards. Haaland had a prolific goalscoring season for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, Bellingham had a breakthrough season with England and Borussia Dortmund, and Martinez was one of the best goalkeepers in the world last season.
Manchester City and FC Barcelona were both worthy winners of their respective club awards. Manchester City won the Premier League and the FA Cup, while FC Barcelona won the Champions League and the Spanish league.
Vinicius Junior’s win of the Socrates Award was a fitting recognition of his work off the pitch. He has been a vocal advocate for social justice issues, and he has done a lot to raise awareness of these issues.
Full Men’s Ballon d’Or 2023 Rankings
- Lionel Messi (PSG, Inter Miami & Argentina)
- Erling Haaland (Man City & Norway)
- Kylian Mbappe (PSG & France)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City & Belgium)
- Rodri (Man City & Spain)
- Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid & Brazil)
- Julian Alvarez (Man City & Argentina)
- Victor Osimhen (Napoli & Nigeria)
- Bernardo Silva (Man City & Portugal)
- Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona & Poland)
- Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Al Hilal & Morocco)
- Ilkay Gundogan (Man City, Barcelona & Germany)
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa & Argentina)
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, Al Ittihad & France)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli & Georgia)
- Jude Bellingham (Dortmund, Real Madrid & England)
- Harry Kane (Spurs, Bayern Munich & England)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter & Argentina)
- Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid & France)
- Kim Min-jae (Napoli, Bayern Munich & South Korea)
- Andre Onana (Inter, Man Utd & Cameroon)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal & England)
- Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig, Man City & Croatia)
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich & Germany)
- Nicolo Barella (Inter & Italy)
- Martin Odegaard (Arsenal & Norway)
- Randal Kolo Muani (PSG & France)
- Ruben Dias (Man City & Portugal)
Full Women’s Ballon d’Or 2023 Rankings
Ballon d’Or 2023 Ceremony Details
The Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony started from 11:30 PM IST on Monday. The live telecast was available on the Sony Sports network in India, and the live streaming was available free on L’Equipe’s official YouTube channel globally.
The nominees for the men’s and women’s awards were announced on 6 September 2023. The following thirty players were nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or:
| Player | Club | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Julián Álvarez | Manchester City | Argentina |
| Nicolò Barella | Inter Milan | Italy |
| Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | England |
| Karim Benzema | Al-Ittihad | France |
| Yassine Bounou | Al-Hilal | Morocco |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Belgium |
| Rúben Dias | Manchester City | Portugal |
| Antoine Griezmann | Atlético Madrid | France |
| İlkay Gündoğan | Barcelona | Germany |
| Joško Gvardiol | Manchester City | Croatia |
| Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Norway |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | England |
| Kim Min-jae | Bayern Munich | South Korea |
| Randal Kolo Muani | Paris Saint-Germain | France |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Napoli | Georgia |
| Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona | Poland |
| Emiliano Martínez | Aston Villa | Argentina |
| Lautaro Martínez | Inter Milan | Argentina |
| Kylian Mbappé | Paris Saint-Germain | France |
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | Argentina |
| Luka Modrić | Real Madrid | Croatia |
| Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | Germany |
| Martin Ødegaard | Arsenal | Norway |
| André Onana | Manchester United | Cameroon |
| Victor Osimhen | Napoli | Nigeria |
| Rodri | Manchester City | Spain |
| Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | England |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | Egypt |
| Bernardo Silva | Manchester City | Portugal |
| Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid Brazil |
Vivianne Miedema Arsenal Netherlands Sam Kerr Chelsea Australia Pernille Harder Chelsea Denmark Fran Kirby Chelsea England Ji So-yun Chelsea South Korea Barbara Bonansea Juventus Italy Sara Gama Juventus Italy Wendie Renard Lyon France Dzsenifer Marozsán Lyon Germany Delphine Cascarino Lyon France Kadidiatou Diani Paris Saint-Germain France Grace Geyoro Paris Saint-Germain France Sandy Baltimore Paris Saint-Germain France Aitana Bonmati Barcelona Spain Alexia Putellas Barcelona Spain Jennifer Hermoso Barcelona Spain Caroline Graham Hansen Barcelona Norway Lieke Martens Barcelona Netherlands Megan Rapinoe Olympique Lyonnais USA Rose Lavelle Olympique Lyonnais USA
Favorites for the Top Awards
Lionel Messi was the overwhelming favorite for the men’s award, after leading Argentina to their first Copa América title since 1993 and scoring 38 goals in 40 games for Barcelona and Inter Miami in the season. He also won the Copa del Rey with Barcelona and the MLS Cup with Inter Miami, becoming the first player to win trophies in three different continents in one season. Messi received 48% of the votes, followed by Robert Lewandowski with 21% and Mohamed Salah with 12%.
Aitana Bonmati was the favorite for the women’s award, after being a key player for Barcelona’s historic treble-winning season. She scored 16 goals and provided 12 assists in 38 games, and was named the UEFA Women’s Champions League Player of the Season. She also helped Spain reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2023. Bonmati received 36% of the votes, followed by Alexia Putellas with 24% and Vivianne Miedema with 15%.
Exciting Moments and Highlights from the Ceremony
The ceremony was attended by many past winners and notable nominees, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Ada Hegerberg, Marta, and Zinedine Zidane. There were also special performances by Ed Sheeran, Shakira, and BTS, and speeches by Pelé, Diego Maradona’s daughter Dalma, and Gianni Infantino.
Some of the highlights from the ceremony were:
- Messi received his eighth Ballon d’Or from his former teammate and friend Neymar, who hugged him and congratulated him on his achievement. Messi dedicated his award to his family, his teammates, and his fans, and thanked them for their support throughout his career. He also paid tribute to Maradona, who passed away in November 2020, and said he was honored to be compared to him.
- Bonmati received her first Ballon d’Or Féminin from her idol Marta, who won the award six times. Bonmati said she was inspired by Marta and other women who paved the way for the growth of women’s football. She also thanked her club Barcelona and her national team Spain for giving her the opportunity to play at the highest level.
- Lewandowski received the Gerd Müller Trophy, a new award created to honor the late German legend who held the record for the most goals in a single season in Europe’s top five leagues (40) until Lewandowski broke it in 2020–21 with 41. Lewandowski said he was humbled to receive the award and expressed his admiration for Müller’s legacy.
- Haaland received the Kopa Trophy, which is given to the best player under 21 years old. Haaland scored 41 goals in 41 games for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in the season, and became the youngest player to score 20 goals in the UEFA Champions League. Haaland said he was proud to win the award and thanked his coaches, teammates, and family for their guidance and encouragement.
- Onana received the Yashin Trophy, which is given to the best goalkeeper of the year. Onana kept 24 clean sheets in 48 games for Ajax and Manchester United in the season, and helped his club win the UEFA Europa League and his country qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022. Onana said he was honored to win the award and dedicated it to his fellow African goalkeepers who inspired him.
- Saka received the Socrates Award, which is given to the player who best exemplifies social responsibility and ethical values. Saka was praised for his courage and maturity in dealing with racial abuse after missing a penalty in the UEFA Euro 2020 final, and for his activism against child poverty and climate change. Saka said he was grateful for the award and urged everyone to stand up against discrimination and injustice.
Conclusion
The Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony was a celebration of football excellence, diversity, and solidarity. The winners and nominees showcased their talent, passion, and personality on and off the pitch. The event also honored the legends of the past and looked forward to the future of the beautiful game.
