The Inter Miami star is among the hot favourites to claim the gong after leading Argentina to 2022 World Cup glory in Qatar, but he isn't the only player eyeing success at the ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
While there is no competition from Messi's long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo - the Portugal international has been left off the shortlist for the first time since 2003 - Erling Haaland's ridiculous strike rate in front of goal with Manchester City means the Norwegian will have plenty of supporters in the voting.
The golden ball isn't the only award being handed out either. As well as the equivalent prize in the women's game, the Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Socrates Award, Gerd Muller Trophy and Club of the Year will all be handed to game-leading figures in the modern game.
Ballon d'or 2023 LIVE - rankings reveal and award winners
13th - Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Morocco)
Europa League and World Cup semi-finalist Bounou, now of Al Hilal, wins 13th after some wonderful displays of shot-stopping throughout 2022/23.
14th - Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona/Germany)
Gundogan was a heroic figure during Man City's treble triumph in 2022/23, his box-to-box exploits being rewarded with a 14th place finish.
15th - Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
A now revered master of the dark arts thanks to his antics in Qatar, World Cup winner Martinez takes 15th position.
16th - Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad/France)
2023 Men's Ballon d'Or ranking:
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) October 30, 2023
1️⃣6️⃣ Karim Benzema
1️⃣7️⃣ Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
1️⃣8️⃣ Jude Bellingham
1️⃣9️⃣ Harry Kane
2️⃣0️⃣ Lautaro Martinez#ballondor pic.twitter.com/Jw6RCYPQ2a
2022 winner Benzema has dropped 15 places to 16th, but it was always going to be hard to replicate such an incredible season. He's now one of the many ageing stars in the Saudi Pro League.
17th - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli/Georgia)
Back to the rankings and it's breakout Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who takes 17th. He played a key role in Napoli's scudetto triumph.
17:30 - Men's Ballon dOr rankings so far
This is breathless stuff. 13 players have now discovered their placings. Let's recap, just in case you didn't have Twitter - or X these days - notifications turned on.
- 30th - Ruben Dias (Manchester City/Portugal)
- Joint 28th - Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain/France) and Martin Odegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
- 27th - Nicolo Barella (Inter/Italy)
- 26th - Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/Germany)
- 25th - Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City/Croatia)
- 24th - Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
- 23rd - Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon)
- 22nd - Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich/South Korea)
- 21st - Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/France)
- 20th - Lautaro Martinez (Inter/Argentina)
- 19th - Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
- 18th - Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
18th - Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
Finishing one ahead of Kane is Bellingham, who so nearly inspired Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga title last season.
19th - Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
Scoring 30 goals in the Premier League is only good enough for 19th place for England captain Kane, who has since started in electric form for Bayern Munich.
20th - Lautaro Martinez (Inter/Argentina)
Inter and Argentina bulldozer Martinez comes in at 20th, with his national teammates all set for higher finishes.
21st - Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/France)
2023 Men's Ballon d'Or ranking:
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) October 30, 2023
2️⃣1️⃣ Antoine Griezmann
2️⃣2️⃣ Kim Min-jae
2️⃣3️⃣ André Onana
2️⃣4️⃣ Bukayo Saka
2️⃣5️⃣ Josko Gvardiol#ballondor pic.twitter.com/Bp9cDsrQHI
Griezmann reminded the world of his talents during France's run to the 2022 World Cup final and posted his best goalscoring return in La Liga since 2018/19.
22nd - Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich/South Korea)
Kim was a defensive juggernaut during Napoli's Serie A triumph last season and has started superbly at B since his summer.
23rd - Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon)
Onana is yet to show much Ballon d'Or form at new club Manchester United but his role in Inter's two cup triumphs last season can't be overlooked.
24th - Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
Saka is another who will have better finishes in the future, especially if Arsenal and England can scoop major silverware. It's a finish of 24th this year.
25th - Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City/Croatia)
Gvardiol became one of the most expensive defenders ever when he left RB Leipzig for Man City. He comes in at 25th.
26th - Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/Germany)
2023 Men's Ballon d'Or ranking:
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) October 30, 2023
2️⃣6️⃣ Jamal Musiala
2️⃣7️⃣ Nicolo Barella
2️⃣8️⃣ Randal Kolo Muani
2️⃣8️⃣ Martin Ødegaard
3️⃣0️⃣ Ruben Dias#ballondor pic.twitter.com/KG5pRpr9eZ
Germany starlet Musiala, won won Bayern Munich the Bundesliga title on the last day of the 2022/23 season, will have better finishes in the future but comes 26th this year.
27th - Nicolo Barella (Inter/Italy)
With nine goals and ten assists as well as a run to the Champions League final, Barella finishes 27th in the standings.
Joint 28th - Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain/France) and Martin Odegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
There's nothing to separate Kolo Muani and Odegaard, who share 28th place.
30th - Ruben Dias (Manchester City/Portugal)
Dias, who won the treble with Man City, comes in at 30th. Any dreams of individual glory have been firmly shattered.
17:00 - Welcome to our live blog!
Welcome one and all to 90min's live blog covering the award winners at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony. It's sure to be an evening filled with unnecessarily long monologues, dozens of video compilations and rogue fashion choices.
But it's all worth it to find out the winner of the most prestigious individual award in men's and women's football.
How does the Ballon d'Or voting format work?
The Ballon d'Or victor is decided by 100 journalists from FIFA's 100 top-ranked member nations. Each journalist makes their top five picks from the 30-man shortlist, with each ranking earning a different points value/number of votes.
- First: Six points
- Second: Four points
- Third: Three points
- Fourth: Two points
- Fifth: One point
As you'd expect, the player who picks up the most points in voting is named that year's Ballon d'Or victor.
Ballon d'Or nominees
Player | Club / Country |
|---|---|
Julian Alvarez | Manchester City / Argentina |
Nicolo Barella | Inter / Italy |
Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund / Real Madrid / England |
Karim Benzema | Real Madrid / Al Ittihad / France |
Yassine Bounou | Sevilla / Al Hilal / Morocco |
Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City / Belgium |
Ruben Dias | Manchester City / Portugal |
Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid / France |
Ilkay Gundogan | Manchester City / Barcelona / Germany |
Josko Gvardiol | RB Leipzig / Manchester City / Croatia |
Erling Haaland | Manchester City / Norway |
Harry Kane | Tottenham / Bayern Munich / England |
Randal Kolo Muani | Eintracht Frankfurt / PSG / France |
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Napoli / Georgia |
Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona / Poland |
Emiliano Martinez | Aston Villa / Argentina |
Lautaro Martinez | Inter / Argentina |
Kylian Mbappe | PSG / France |
Lionel Messi | PSG / Inter Miami / Argentina |
Kim Min-jae | Napoli / Bayern Munich / South Korea |
Luka Modric | Real Madrid / Croatia |
Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich / Germany |
Martin Odegaard | Arsenal / Norway |
Andre Onana | Inter / Manchester United / Cameroon |
Victor Osimhen | Napoli / Nigeria |
Rodri | Manchester City / Spain |
Bukayo Saka | Arsenal / England |
Mohamed Salah | Liverpool / Egypt |
Bernardo Silva | Manchester City / Portugal |
Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid/Brazil |
Ballon d'Or Feminin nominees
Player | Club / Country |
|---|---|
Aitana Bonmati | Barcelona / Spain |
Millie Bright | Chelsea / England |
Linda Caicedo | Deportivo Cali / Real Madrid / Colombia |
Olga Carmona | Real Madrid / Spain |
Rachel Daly | Aston Villa / England |
Debinha | North Carolina Courage / Kansas City Current/ / Brazil |
Kadidiatou Diana | PSG / Lyon / France |
Mary Earps | Manchester United / England |
Patri Guijarro | Barcelona |
Yui Hasegawa | Manchester City / Japan |
Amanda Ilestedt | PSG/ Arsenal / Sweden |
Sam Kerr | Chelsea / Australia |
Mapi Leon | Barcelona / Spain |
Katie McCabe | Arsenal / Republic of Ireland |
Hinata Miyazawa | Mynavi Sendai / Manchester United / Japan |
Lena Oberdorf | Wolfsburg / Germany |
Asisat Oshoala | Barcelona / Nigeria |
Ewa Pajor | Wolfsburg / Poland |
Salma Paralluelo | Barcelona / Spain |
Alexandra Popp | Wolfsburg / Germany |
Hayley Raso | Manchester City / Real Madrid / Australia |
Alba Redondo | Levante / Spain |
Guro Reiten | Chelsea / Norway |
Wendie Renard | Lyon / France |
Fridolina Rolfo | Barcelona / Sweden |
Jill Roord | Wolfsburg / Manchester City / Australia |
Khadija Shaw | Manchester City / Jamaica |
Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns / United States |
Georgia Stanway | Bayern Munich / England |
Daphne van Domselaar | Twente / Aston Villa / Netherlands |
