Paris: Aitana Bonmatí and Lionel Messi have been named the 2023 Ballon d’Or winners at the annual football awards ceremony in Paris. “I remember when I watched this gala when I was little and I saw, for example, Messi lifting the Ballons d’Or, the fact that I could be here one day was very distant,” said Bonmatí, who was widely considered the favourite after being named player of the tournament during the Women’s World Cup. Fellow World Cup winner Messi also expressed his delight. “This one comes from the World Cup…with what that means for a player and for us in Argentina,” the eight-time winner said.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Norway’s UEFA Player of the Year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize, who himself bagged the Gerd Muller Trophy after becoming the highest scorer in Europe last season with 56 goals.
Ballon d’Or 2023 complete winners list
- Ballon d’Or- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
- Ballon d’Or Feminin Aitana Bonmatí (FC Barcelona Femení, Spain)
- Kopa Trophy for the best male U-21 player Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
- Yachine Trophy for the best male goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez (Astona Villa, Argentina)
- Gerd Müller Trophy for the highest-scoring male striker Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
- Socrates Award to acknowledge humanitarian work Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil)
- Club of the Year Manchester City and FC Barcelona Femeni
