Ballon d'Or 2023 rankings: FULL rankings revealed

Hello and welcome to the Ballon d'Or 2023. Over the next few hours, we're going to be bringing you all the latest from the ceremony.

Guess who the favourite is…

So who are the nominees for the Ballon d'Or?

Glad you asked. 

Julian Alvarez (Argentina, Manchester City)
Nicolo Barella (Italy, Inter Milan)
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (France, Al-Ittihad)
Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al-Hilal)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, Manchester City)
Ruben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
Antoine Griezmann (France, Atletico Madrid)
Ilkay Gundogan (Germany, Barcelona)
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia, Manchester City)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
Kim Min-jae (South Korea, Bayern Munich)
Randal Kolo Muani (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Barcelona)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan)
Kylian Mbappe (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami)
Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid)
Jamal Musiala (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Martin Odegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)
Bernardo Silva (Portugal, Manchester City)
Vinicius Junior (Brazil, Real Madrid)

Lionel Messi is widely expected to win the Ballon d'Or – as revealed by Fabrizio Romano…

Thanks for ruining it, Fab…

In case it wasn't obvious, Lionel Messi will become the first-ever MLS player to lift the Ballon d'Or when he's crowned later.

In fact, no Major League Soccer star has ever been on the men's BDO podium. 

The last player to have been nominated for the Ballon d'Or while playing in the MLS? Messi's paymaster and Inter Miami overlord, Mr. David Beckham, who was nominated in 2007, following his heroic efforts in bringing a title to Real Madrid, before leaving for LA Galaxy that summer. 

Incredibly, players have been nominated from the Chinese and Russian leagues more recently. 

But should Messi be lifting the Ballon d'Or today? FourFourTwo editor James Andrew says no…

Here's the case for why Manchester City's super Scandi striker Erling Haaland should be given his first Golden Ball at tonight's ceremony instead. 

Here are the odds for the awards tonight – courtesy of BitcoinCasinos.com

2023 Ballon d'Or winner odds

Lionel Messi - 1/25
Erling Haaland - 9/1
Jude Bellingham - 40/1
Rodri - 50/1
Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior - 80/1
Karim Benzema, Harry Kane - 100/1

2023 Ballon d'Or Feminin winner odds

Aitana Bonmati - 1/5
Olga Carmona - 8/1
Mary Earps - 10/1
Sam Kerr - 16/1
Asisat Oshoala, Salma Paralluelo - 33/1
Ewa Pajor, Kadidiatou Diani - 50/1

2023 Yashin Trophy winner odds

Emiliano Martinez - 5/4
Ederson - 7/4
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Mike Maignan, Thibaut Courtois - 20/1
Yassine Bounou - 25/1
Brice Samba - 33/1
Aaron Ramsdale - 50/1
Andre Onana - 100/1

One man will be feeling left out tonight

Cristiano Ronaldo has more nominations than anyone else, with 18 – but for the first time since 2003, the Portuguese is not among the shortlisted names in contention for the award. 

Lionel Messi's last 12 months or so in numbers…

Paris Saint-Germain, 2022/23
41 games
21 goals
1 Ligue 1 title

Inter Miami, 2023
14 games
11 goals
1 Leagues Cup trophy

Argentina, 2022/23
20 games
22 goals
1 World Cup trophy

Not bad, huh?

Alongside the men's award tonight, a few other trophies will be presented…

– The Ballon d'Or Feminin will be awarded to the best women's player in the world
– The Kopa Trophy will be awarded to the best young player in the world
– The Gerd Muller Trophy will be awarded to the best striker in the world
– The Yashin Trophy will be awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world
– The Socrates Award will be awarded to a player for their off-field efforts
– The Club of the Year award will be presented to, well, let's face it, Manchester City

The Ballon d'Or isn't always fair…

Here's our list of the 10 biggest robberies the award has ever seen

Julian Alvarez could cap off a great year with a high placing in today's vote

It was around 18 months ago that Manchester City first struck up a deal to sign a little-known attacking talent from River Plate. Now look at him…

Alvarez played an integral role in Argentina's run to world domination, netting three times in Qatar last winter before going on to win the treble with City in his first season at the club. Will it be reflected in the BDO ranking today?

Aitana Bonmati is expected to win the women's Ballon d'Or tonight

It would be the third season in a row that a Spanish Barcelona star wins the award, with Bonmati's team-mate, Alexia Putellas picking up the gong the last two seasons. 

The Lionesses have representation on the shortlist in the form of Millie Bright, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps and Georgia Stanway. 

Tonight's a big night for Argentina at the Ballon d'Or – they'll become the outright leaders in terms of BDO wins for their players

Five countries have had seven BDO winners…

France: Raymond Kopa (1958) Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991), Zinedine Zidane (1998), Karim Benzema (2022)
Germany: Gerd Muller (1970), Franz Beckenbauer (1972, 1976), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1980, 1981), Lothar Matthaus (1990), Matthias Sammer (1996)
Netherlands: Johan Cruyff (1971, 1973, 1974), Ruud Gulliet (1987), Marco van Basten (1988, 1989, 1992)
Portugal: Eusebio (1965), Luis Figo (2000), Cristiano Ronaldo (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
Argentina: Lionel Messi (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021)

It's been a tough start to the season for these two

Andre Onana has had a shaky start to life at Manchester United, coming in for the long-serving David De Gea and receiving his fair share of criticism for performances early on in his career.

Aaron Ramsdale, on the other hand, hasn't been watching from the sidelines, with David Raya in for the England international between the sticks at Arsenal – despite Ramsdale not doing all that wrong to get dropped in the first place. 

Both are in contention for the Yashin Trophy tonight, alongside Premier League rivals Emi Martinez and Ederson.

Tonight will see only the fifth-ever Kopa Trophy presented

2018: Kylian Mbappe
2019: Matthijs de Ligt
2020: -
2021: Pedri
2022: Gavi

FFT's Arthur Renard has arrived at the red carpet in Paris…

Every Premier League player up for tonight's award…

Martin Odegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)
Julian Alvarez (Argentina, Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, Manchester City)
Ruben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia, Manchester City)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Portugal, Manchester City)
Andre Onana (Cameroon, Manchester United)

A little history lesson for you about the Ballon d'Or, eh?

The first Ballon d'Or was awarded in 1956 to Stanley Matthews of Blackpool, who became the oldest recipient at 41 years old. That'll never be beaten, surely?

Alfedo Di Stefano won the second in 1957 and became the first player to win two awards in 1959 with his third title. The only goalkeeper to win the award was Lev Yashin in 1963. 

Though the trophy was specifically Europe-only in the early days, in 1995, the Ballon d'Or was expanded to include all players from anywhere – so long as they had been active at a European club during the season: George Weah won it that year and remains the only African player to have done so. The award became a global prize in 2007, with coaches and captains of national teams also given the right to vote this year.

2007 was also the last year before the Messi/Ronaldo duopoly began. Between 2008 and 2017, the pair won every title between them, with Messi picking up another couple of wins in 2019 and 2021. 

Between 2010 and 2015, in an agreement with FIFA, the award became known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, with FIFA's own FIFA World Player of the Year award merging with the BDO. That partnership ended in 2016, and the award reverted to the Ballon d'Or, while FIFA moved to create The Best FIFA Men's Player.

In 2022, France Football modified the rules so that the gong was awarded not for achievements during a calendar year, but for a football season.

Only nine players have won the World Cup, the European Cup/Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or during their careers…

Bobby Charlton
Franz Beckenbauer
Gerd Muller
Paolo Rossi
Zinedine Zidane
Rivaldo
Ronaldinho
Kaka
Lionel Messi

Tonight's Kopa Trophy nominees

Alejandro Balde (Spain, Barcelona)
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Eduardo Camavinga (France, Real Madrid)
Gavi (Spain, Barcelona)
Rasmus Hojlund (Denmark, Manchester United)
Jamal Musiala (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Pedri (Spain, Barcelona)
Antonio Silva (Portugal, Benfica)
Xavi Simons (Netherlands, RB Leipzig)
Elye Wahi (France, Lens)

Arsenal have five players up for Ballon d'Or awards tonight

Club captain, Martin Odegaard, and skipper at the weekend, Bukayo Saka, are both nominated in the longlist tonight. A Gunner hasn't made the podium since Thierry Henry (who else?) in 2006. 

For the women's award tonight, Amanda Ilestedt and Katie McCabe are both in the running, while Aaron Ramsdale has received a nomination for the Yashin Award. 

It's a fifth nomination in a row for Mohamed Salah

Salah was instrumental for Liverpool last season and despite the Reds not qualifying for the Champions League, he finds himself on the list for the BDO tonight.

He first got a nod in 2018, following his explosive exploits in his first campaign on Merseyside and has been a fixture of the list ever since. 

Jude Bellingham isn't just up for the young player award tonight

Galactico Bellingham is up for the Ballon d'Or tonight as well as the Kopa Trophy.

Who knows? If he continues at the rate he's going, perhaps the Real Madrid star will be lifting the big gong this time next year…

Several top women's players are set to miss the BDO ceremony tonight

With England Women playing Belgium in a Nations League match tomorrow, Georgia Stanway, Millie Bright, Rachel Daly and Mary Earps are unable to attend the awards, despite being nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or.

"It is frustrating, because it's potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You never know if you're ever going to get selected for such an accolade like that again, so it would be really nice to enjoy the experience and be there and feel like a star amongst the stars," Stanway said. 

45 minutes until the awards are live on TNT Sports…

All of Manchester City's Ballon d'Or nominees tonight…

Julian Alvarez (Ballon d'Or)
Kevin De Bruyne (Ballon d'Or)
Ruben Dias (Ballon d'Or)
Josko Gvardiol (Ballon d'Or)
Erling Haaland (Ballon d'Or)
Rodri (Ballon d'Or)
Bernardo Silva (Ballon d'Or)
Ederson (Yashin Trophy)
Jill Roord (Women's Ballon d'Or)
Khadija Shaw (Women's Ballon d'Or)
Yui Hasegawa (Women's Ballon d'Or)

Phew!

The rankings are underway

We're about to get into the top 15

So this guy is the highest-rated English player in the Ballon d'Or vote…

Ranked at No. 15… Emiliano Martinez

Martinez follows up his win at the World Cup with Argentina, with a placing in the top half of tonight's vote.

He's also in the running for the Yashin Trophy…

14. Ilkay Gundogan

A Treble with Manchester City has seen Gundogan ranked 14th in this year's vote. Now at Barcelona, he scored his first goal at the weekend for the club in the Clasico.

13. Yassine Bounou

Yassine 'Bono' Bounou was integral to Morocco's incredible World Cup run – he also won the Europa League with Sevilla before heading off to Saudi in the summer. 

The view from the press room from our man on the ground, Arthur Renard

Tune into TNT Sports now to see what's happening on the red carpet 

So there are just 12 players left to be ranked in this year's awards…

Mohamed Salah
Julian Alvarez
Kevin De Bruyne
Erling Haaland
Rodri
Bernardo Silva
Kylian Mbappe
Victor Osimhen
Robert Lewandowski
Luka Modric
Vinicius Junior
…and Lionel Messi

Here's something to keep you occupied for the next few minutes – can you name every Ballon d'Or top 10 since 2000?

Djibril Cisse is on the red carpet looking fantastic

Pep Guardiola has explained why even though one of his players has won the Treble, the Ballon d'Or is going to Florida instead…

12. Robert Lewandowski

11. Mohamed Salah

This is everything you want from Djibril Cisse in 2023, right?

Aston Villa's Emi Martinez has arrived

The top 10 in the Ballon d'Or 2023…

Julian Alvarez
Kevin De Bruyne
Erling Haaland
Rodri
Bernardo Silva
Kylian Mbappe
Victor Osimhen
Luka Modric
Vinicius Junior
Lionel Messi

Emi's looking dapper

Martinez has actually revealed who's going to win the Ballon d'Or already

The stars are out tonight, in the words of David Bowie

The recently retired Eden Hazard is here

Your host for the evening, as per usual, will be Mr. Didier Drogba

Spanish footballer Alba Redondo is on the red carpet

Manchester City's stars have arrived

The hosts are here

How unlucky will this man be not to win the award tonight?

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin is here

We're one hour away from the full ceremony beginning…

City's stars are in attendance 

Wholesome content alert

Who knew a velvet jacket could look this good?

Sporting royalty in the house

Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati has arrived – and is widely expected to win the women's award

The GOAT (and his kids) are in the building

The last man to be nominated for a Ballon d'Or while playing in the US? He's just arrived…

Kylian Mbappe has arrived (not that he had far to travel)

Well this is fancy

Lens forward Elye Wahi is here

Dwight Yorke has told Genting Casino that, 'Haaland will feel hard done by if Messi wins the Ballon d’Or'

“The World Cup may only be seven games, but it’s seen as the biggest prize in our sport. Winning the treble obviously requires a lot more consistency, but those trophies will always be overshadowed by the World Cup. Erling Haaland will have a great argument, but you can’t argue with what Lionel Messi’s done.

"Look at what he’s done with Inter Miami - he’s made the sport such a huge deal in America, and nobody has been able to make that kind of impact over there. It’s hard to look beyond Messi for the Ballon d’Or. People said he couldn’t be the greatest ever without a World Cup, and he went and did it. I think he’ll edge it, but Haaland has a right to feel hard done by."

The nominees are taking to the stage…

We're underway

Drogba's former Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard is up on stage.

We're about to find out the winner of the Kopa Trophy…

IT'S JUDE BELLINGHAM

Congrats, Jude

Jamal Musiala has sent a message to Bellingham

The two know each other not just from the Bundesliga but the England youth teams.

10th in the Ballon d'Or… Luka Modric

And now the Socrates Award

Vinicius Jr wins the Socrates Award

Vinicius Jr has won the Socrates Award for his foundation, which helps underprivileged Brazilian children. The Real Madrid star has used his stage to share a message about the horrible racist abuse which he has received time and again – with Didier Drogba echoing his sentiments and urging football authorities and governments to act.

Now, we reflect on the losses on Sir Bobby Charlton, Pele and Luis Suarez Miramontes.

Now, for the women's Ballon d'Or

Rachel Daly finishes tenth, Linda Caicedo ninth and Patricia Guijarro eighth.

Barcelona have won Women's Club of the Year

A good BDO for Aston Villa then!

Barça won the Champions League and Spanish title last season… oh and there are six players on the Ballon d'Or Feminin shortlist.

A deserved winner for the Women's Club of the Year.

Ninth in the Ballon d'Or… Bernardo Silva

Eighth in the Ballon d'Or… Victor Osimhen

Now for the Yashin Award…

Named after the only goalkeeper to have ever won the Ballon d'Or.

Emiliano Martinez wins the Yashin Trophy!

Martinez is the first-ever former Oxford United player to win the award.

Alberto Martinez, Emi's father, presents the award to his son. Lovely stuff.

Everyone in the room is reliving Martinez's heroic save in the World Cup final. It's going down about as well as a rattlesnake in a lucky dip, given that we're in Paris. Awks.

Now for the Gerd Muller Trophy

Here comes Sir Gary Lineker with the Muller Trophy. Go on Gaz.

They're now showing Gary Lineker in his pants following the Leicester title win. He's never living it down…

And the winner is… Erling Haaland

Haaland thanks Manchester City, name-checking Pep, his family and everyone close to him in a typically short speech.

We've been treated to this montage of all of Haaland's goals in the past year

Erling Haaland has been challenged by Didier Drogba to recreate either his or Gary Lineker's celebration – look out for that when he next scores (next week)

The Men's Club of the Season… have a guess.

It's Manchester City, of course.

Manchester City also have five players in the top 10 of the Ballon d'Or this year. Not bad.

More Women's Ballon d'Or rankings…

7. Alexandra Popp
6. Olga Carmona
5. Mary Earps

Now for a musical interlude. Yep, really.

The moment that Erling Haaland was crowned the greatest striker in Europe

7. Julian Alvarez

6. Vinicius Jr

5. Rodri

Now for the Women's Ballon d'Or award, to be presented by Novak DJokovic

The Ballon d'Or awards are here

And the winner of the Women's Ballon d'Or is Aitana Bonmati

Bonmati thanks her team-mates, insisting that she's part of a collective. The midfielder won the World Cup and the Champions League this year with Spain and Barcelona respectively.

The best women's player in the world… Aitana Bonmati

Bonmati addresses the audience

The full ranking for the Ballon d'Or Feminin

1. Aitana Bonmati

2. Sam Kerr

3. Salma Paralluelo

4. Fridolina Rolfo

5. Mary Earps

6. Olga Carmona

7. Alexandra Popp

8. Patricia Guijarro

9. Linda Caicedo

10. Rachel Daly

11. Millie Bright

12. Hinata Miyazawa

13. Lena Oberdorf

14. Kadidiatou Diani

15. Amanda Ilestedt

16. Mapi León

17. Hayley Raso

18. Ewa Pajor

19. Guro Reiten

20. Asisat Oshoala

21. Alba Redondo

22. Katie McCabe

23. Georgia Stanway

24. Khadija Shaw

25. Sophia Smith

26. Wendie Renard

27. Yui Hasegawa

28. Debinha

29. Jill Roord

30. Daphne van Domselaar

And now for the men's award… we're now taking a short break in the ceremony

We're back!

And we're about to find out who's crowned Ballon d'Or winner 2023.

David Beckham is on stage to award the trophy

Beckham explains that Paris is a special place for him.

Goldenballs played his final season at PSG, 10 years ago this year.

Beckham gives a beautiful tribute to 1966 Ballon d'Or winner Sir Bobby Charlton, referencing that his middle name is Robert, after his father's footballing hero.

Beckham went to one of Charlton's soccer schools and says were it not for the World Cup winner, he may never have made it in the sport. 

The four finalists are…

Lionel Messi
Erling Haaland
Kylian Mbappe
Kevin De Bruyne

The winner of the Ballon d'Or is… Lionel Messi

An eighth title for the Flea

The full ranking:

1. Lionel Messi

2. Erling Haaland

3. Kylian Mbappé

4. Kevin De Bruyne

5. Rodri

6. Vinicius Junior

7. Julián Álvarez

8. Victor Osimhen

9. Bernardo Silva

10. Luka Modric

11. Mohamed Salah

12. Robert Lewandowski

13. Yassine Bounou

14. İlkay Gundogan

15. Emiliano Martinez

16. Karim Benzema

17. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

18. Jude Bellingham

19. Harry Kane

20. Lautaro Martínez

21. Antoine Griezmann

22. Kim Min-jae

23. Andre Onana

24. Bukayo Saka

25. Josko Gvardiol

26. Jamal Musiala

27. Nicolo Barella

28. Randal Kolo Muani

28. Martin Odegaard

30. Ruben Dias

The man himself with his eighth golden ball

Here's Messi's speech

“Wherever you are, this is also for you. Happy birthday, Diego.”

David Beckham explains that they're going to have a big party in Miami after this award

Feel free to invite FFT, Dave…

A man who featured tonight, Gary Lineker, explains why Leo is the greatest of all time

"I don't know how much longer I'll be going… but I plan to enjoy it."

Thank you for joining us!