Full List | The 2023 Ballon d’Or nominees

France Football and L’Equipe released this Wednesday the 30 nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Evidently, the 30-man list includes firm favourites like 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina and 7-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, free-scoring PSG striker Kylian Mbappé and treble-winning Manchester City’s free-scoring Erling Haaland. Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens are out in force with Joško Gvardiol, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Ilkay Gündoğan (now at Barcelona), Julian Alvarez and Rodri also making the cut.

Mbappé won’t be the only Frenchman looking to succeed 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema as recipient of the most coveted individual trophy in world football. The former Real Madrid man is also part of the list. On the back of his breakout season with Eintracht Frankfurt, PSG centre-forward Randal Kolo Muani has been named for the first time among the Ballon d’Or nominees. Atlético Madrid playmaker Antoine Griezmann has been included too.

Besides, five-times Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out. 2018 Ballon d’Or recipient Luka Modric made the cut. The 2023 Ballon d’Or prize-giving ceremony will be held at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet on Monday October 30th.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or nominees

Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City, Croatia), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany), André Onana (Manchester United, Cameroon), Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad, France), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, England), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG, ) Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli, Georgia), Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan, Italy), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentine), Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal), Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal, Norway), Ilkay Gündoğan (Barcelona, Germany), Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal, Morocco), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City, Argentina), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid, France), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland), Kim Min-Jae (Napoli, South Korea), Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia), Kylian Mbappé (PSG, France), Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Nigeria), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)

France Football have also revealed the nominees for the 2023 Women’s Ballon d’Or. Olympique Lyonnais centre-back Wendie Renard and Paris Saint-Germain striker Kadidiatou Diani are the only Frenchwomen on the list. 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona and World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati is the overwhelming favorite to be crowned the best player in the world in the women’s game. Bonmati is one of six World Champions with Spain to receive a Ballon d’Or selection alongside Alba Redondo, Olga Carmona, Salma Paralluelo, Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon.

The 2023 Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees

Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon, France), Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid, Colombia), Alba Redondo (Levante, Spain), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa, England), Fridolina Rolfö (Barcelona, Sweden), Olga Carmona (Real Madrid, Spain), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich, England), Amanda Ilestedt (Arsenal, Sweden), Hayley Raso (Real Madrid, Australia), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns, USA), Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona, Spain), Millie Bright (Chelsea, England), Hinata Miyazawa (Japan, MyNavi Sendai), Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg, Germany), Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa, Netherlands), Sam Kerr (Chelsea, Australia), Debinha (Kansas City, Brazil), Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona, Spain), Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg, Germany), Guro Reiten (Chelsea, Norway), Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain), Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg, Germany), Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City), Jill Roord (Manchester City, Netherlands), Katie McCabe (Arsenal, Ireland), Wendie Renard (Lyon, France), Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona, Nigeria), Mary Earps (Manchester United, England), Mapi Leon (Barcelona, Spain), Khadija Shaw (Manchester City, Jamaica)

GFFN | Bastien Cheval