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The winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or will be announced on October 30. The performances of footballers from all across the globe in the 2022-23 season are considered for the award. France Football released the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist earlier this week.
The two names that are leading the list are Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. The two players were in phenomenal form in the 2022-23 season. While Messi, who is now 36, has entered the twilight of his career, Haaland is only 23 and is embarking on what's tipped to be a glorious one.
Fans and pundits continue to be divided over who should win the 2023 Ballon d'Or. But here, we are going to explore five reasons why Messi is way ahead of Haaland in the race to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or award.
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#5 Lionel Messi's impact on the football world in the past year
The legendary Argentinian has had a massive effect on the world of football in the last year. He broke the internet after winning the World Cup when he posted a carousel of photos with his Argentinian teammates. It continues to be the most liked post on Instagram with over 75.6 million likes and counting.
That is the amount of influence Messi has on a global scale. Additionally, Messi's decision to not go to Saudi Arabia and instead join MLS side Inter Miami has and will increase the popularity of "soccer" in the USA.
He has taken the MLS by storm and has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 11 appearances in all competitions for Inter Miami already.
#4 Messi almost single-handedly won the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Argentina
Undoubtedly, the World Cup holds the utmost significance as the most prestigious trophy in football. In late 2022, Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory, showcasing his exceptional skills as the standout performer for La Albiceleste during the entire tournament.
He found the back of the net in each of Argentina's knockout stage games, including a pair of goals in the final versus France. Messi stepped up in crucial moments for his team and was rightfully awarded the Golden Ball at the World Cup.
Unfortunately for Haaland, Norway failed to even qualify for the World Cup.
#3 Messi did exceptionally well for Paris Saint-Germain
In addition to being a stalwart for Argentina in the international circuit, Messi was in great form for his former club Paris Saint-Germain as well in the 2022-23 season. Playing in a more withdrawn role than the one we're used to seeing him in, Messi showcased his exceptional playmaking and goalscoring abilities.
In 41 appearances across all competitions for Paris Sain-Germain, Messi scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists. His contributions were vital to PSG winning the Ligue 1 title.
#2 Haaland was much more reliant on his teammates
Haaland scored 52 goals and provided 11 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions last term to fire Manchester City to a continental treble. However, it is worth noting that he didn't do it all by himself.
In fact, it was far from it. Manchester City have one of the best squads in the world and the Norwegian marksman is supported by world-class technicians on the pitch. For example, one of City's chief playmakers is Kevin De Bruyne, who registered a whopping 32 assists in all competitions for them last term.
Additionally, the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva ensured that Haaland never suffered from a dearth of service. City's treble triumph was way more of a collective effort than one peep at Haaland's stats from last season would have you believe.
#1 Haaland failed to make an impact in cup finals and crunch encounters
Despite all his achievements in the 2022-23 season, Haaland has received criticism for his inability to come up clutch in crunch scenarios. The Norwegian marksman failed to score in the FA Cup and Champions League finals for City.
He also failed to score over the two legs of City's Champions League semi-final encounter with Real Madrid. Haaland shot another blank in City's FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United. This tendency to go silent in crucial games could cost him dearly in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
On the other hand, Messi produced several jaw-dropping moments on his way to World Cup glory with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
