Ballon d'Or 2023: Lionel Messi wins the Golden Ball!

Lionel Messi wins his eighth Ballon d'Or award. Argentine player Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball (Ballon d'Or) award given to the footballer of the year. In women's football, Spanish player Aitana Bonmati won the award. The award, which has been distributed by France Football magazine since 1956, found its owner at a ceremony held at the Chatelet Theater in Paris, the capital of France.

Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d'Or award. Ilkay Gundogan, a 32-year-old player of Turkish origin who plays for Spain's Barcelona team, and Kim Min-jae, the former South Korean stopper of Fenerbahce who plays for German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich, are also on the list.

Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the Golden Ball award five times so far, was not among the nominees for the first time since 2003. Karim Benzema won the Golden Ball last year.

Who were the Ballon d'Or nominees for 2023? Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City, Croatia) Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany) Andre 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 (Paris St-Germain, France) Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal) Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Naples, Georgia) Nicolo Barella (Inter, Italy) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina) Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal) Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway) Martin Odegaard (Arsenal, Norway) Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona, Germany) Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal, Morocco) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City, Argentina) Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil) Rodri (Manchester City, Spain) Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France) Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina) Lautaro Martinez (Inter, Argentina) Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland) Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich, South Korea) Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia) Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain, France) Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Nigeria)