In a thrilling unveiling of talent, the 2023 Ballon d’Or shortlist features a star-studded cast from the world of football. England’s own Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Harry Kane, along with seven exceptional Manchester City players, have earned their spots among the top 30 contenders for this prestigious award.

City’s prolific striker, Erling Haaland, stands tall among the 12 Premier League representatives nominated, showcasing the depth of talent in the English top-flight league. Nevertheless, all eyes are on Argentina’s living legend, Lionel Messi, who is the overwhelming favorite to claim his eighth Ballon d’Or, following his triumphant World Cup victory. Follow your favourite Premier League team with attractive football betting odds from Nextbet. 

It’s been a summer of transfers, with midfielder Bellingham and striker Kane both making high-profile moves to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively. These switches have added extra layers of intrigue to their already impressive careers.

The treble-winning Manchester City squad boasts a remarkable seven nominees on the shortlist, including record-breaking goalscorer Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, and defensive stalwart Ruben Dias. World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, and Josko Gvardiol round out this formidable contingent.

Croatia defender Gvardiol, although not a City player last season, joins his former teammate Ilkay Gundogan, now at Barcelona, who also earned a well-deserved spot on the list.

Beyond the City domination, the Premier League showcases its strength with nominations for Arsenal’s rising star Saka, creative talent Martin Odegaard, Liverpool’s prolific forward Mohamed Salah, Manchester United’s impressive keeper Andre Onana, and Aston Villa’s reliable Emiliano Martinez.

The summer transfer window saw two notable departures from European clubs. Messi, the iconic forward, made a move to Inter Miami from Paris St-Germain, while current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema left Real Madrid for Al-Ittihad, marking a significant shift in the football landscape.

A surprising absence on this year’s list is the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plies his trade with Al-Nassr, making this the first time since 2003 that he hasn’t been nominated.

Excitement mounts as Bellingham, fresh from his transfer to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund, stands tall among the 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young player in the world. He is joined by the emerging talent of Manchester United’s new striker, Rasmus Hojlund.

Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale makes his mark as one of four Premier League goalkeepers on the 10-man shortlist for the Yashin Trophy, honoring the world’s best goalkeeper. Competing alongside Ramsdale are Onana, Manchester City’s Ederson, and Aston Villa’s Martinez, a World Cup winner with Argentina.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or is shaping up to be a thrilling contest, with Messi leading the charge and an array of exceptional talent vying for football’s most coveted individual accolade. As the world watches, we eagerly await the crowning of the next footballing legend. Get the latest updates from the world of football only on Nextbet Sports. 

Ballon d’Or nominees

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 (Napoli, Georgia)

Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan, 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 (Sevilla, Morocco)

Julian Alvarez (Manchester City, Argentina)

Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)

Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France)

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, 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)