World Cup winner Lionel Messi and Man City striker Erling Haaland are among the 30 nominations for the 2023 Golden Ball announced by the French magazine France Football on September 6.

Messi became the first player to be nominated for the Golden Ball 16 times. The Argentine star also holds the record of winning seven Golden Balls in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021.

Even though he moved to Inter Miami this summer, Messi is still the strongest candidate for the 2023 Golden Ball title. At the club level, Messi did not play too prominently with 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 matches in all competitions. school with PSG.

But he flourished at the team level, scoring seven goals, including a double in the final against France, helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup. The 36-year-old striker was also awarded the World Cup Golden Ball – an award by FIFA. the tournament’s best player at Qatar 2022, and five times won the Man of the Match award.

Messi’s strongest rival is Haaland – who scored 52 goals in 53 matches in all competitions, helping Man City win a historic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. He won all individual titles, including Best Player and Outstanding Young Player of the Premier League 2022-2023, awarded by the tournament organizers, Best Player in English Football this season by the Football Journalists Association England (FWA) and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) voted, Champions League top scorer, European Golden Shoe.

But did not with the Norwegian team win tickets to the 2022 World Cup.