LIONEL MESSI HEADS the list of nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.
Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were also included on the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious prize published by organisers France Football on Wednesday.
But five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, was not nominated for the first time since 2003.
Messi, already a record seven-time winner of the annual prize for world player of the year, is again the favourite.
The 36-year-old, who now plays his club football with Inter Miami, was his country’s chief inspiration as they triumphed in Qatar last winter, scoring seven goals in the tournament.
Haaland, who scored a remarkable 52 goals for treble-winning Manchester City last season, is one of seven players from the successful City side to make the list.
Former captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is now at Barcelona, another World Cup-winner in Julian Alvarez, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva were the others.
England captain Harry Kane is rewarded after scoring 40 goals for club and country before switching Tottenham for Bayern Munich. England team-mates Bellingham, who is now at Real Madrid, and Saka, of Arsenal, also enjoyed strong campaigns.
Other notable Premier League inclusions are Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard.
Bellingham is also on the shortlist for the men’s young player of the year prize. New Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund, of Denmark, and Barcelona trio Gavi, Pedri and Alejandro Balde are also candidates.
Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale is nominated for goalkeeper of the year along with Martinez. They will face competition from Ederson of Manchester City and United’s former Inter Milan stopper Andre Onana, who is also on the list for the main award.
Ireland captain Katie McCabe was recognised among the 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or Féminin named on Wednesday evening.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on 30 October.
2023 Ballon d’Or nomineeJulian Alvarez
- Nicolo Barella
- Yassine Bounou
- Jude Bellingham
- Karim Benzema
- Kevin De Bruyne
- Ruben Dias
- Antoine Griezmann
- Ilkay Gundogan
- Josko Gvardiol
- Erling Haaland
- Harry Kane
- Randal Kolo Muani
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
- Robert Lewandowski
- Emiliano Martinez
- Lautaro Martinez
- Kylian Mbappe
- Lionel Messi
- Kim Min-jae
- Luka Modric
- Jamal Musiala
- Martin Odegaard
- Andre Onana
- Victor Osimhen
- Rodri
- Bukayo Saka
- Mohamed Salah
- Bernardo Silva
- Vinicius Junior
