Despite his tremendous success in his debut season with Manchester City, securing an unprecedented treble and numerous individual awards, Erling Haaland is still considered the second candidate in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
With 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions, Erling Haaland had an incredibly successful first season at Manchester City. Thanks to the explosive performances of the Norwegian forward, Manchester City not only fulfilled their long-awaited Champions League victory but also clinched an historic treble.
On a personal level, Haaland claimed the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2022/23 season with 36 goals. He also won the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards. In the Champions League, the Norwegian star also claimed the Golden Boot with 12 goals and the Goal of the Season award.
Many experts believe that Haaland deserves the Ballon d'Or for 2023 based on his remarkable achievements with Manchester City. However, bookmakers rank him as the second candidate on the list for this prestigious award.
Leading the race is none other than Lionel Messi, with odds of 8/15 (betting 15 to win 8). Meanwhile, Haaland is in second place with odds of 11/8. At the club level, Messi did not leave a significant mark with PSG. Although Haaland excelled at the club level, he did not participate in the FIFA World Cup 2022. On the other hand, Messi helped the Argentina national team win the World Cup and claimed the Best Player of the Tournament award.
With odds of 11/1, Kevin De Bruyne ranks third behind Messi and Haaland. Other candidates such as Karim Benzema, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe are regarded as having low chances in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or, with odds of 80/1.
The Ballon d'Or 2023 award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Paris, France, on October 30th. Prior to that, the organizers will announce the shortlist of nominees in early August.
