Ballon d'Or 2023: Do players who win the award receive prize money? 

The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony is set to take place in Paris, France on Monday, October 30. Lionel Messi is the overwhelming favorite to win the coveted prize, with Erling Haaland also in the running.

The Ballon d'Or is the highest achievement in football and hence, it is a huge honor for any player to win it. The award costs around €3000 and weighs over seven kilograms. However, as per Sport Bible, it doesn't come with any prize money, at least directly.

Some players do have clauses in their contracts with their respective clubs or sponsors to receive a bonus if they win the coveted prize. As per El Confidencial, Luka Modric received a bonus from his sponsor Nike worth €800,000 after his win in 2018.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, had a €4 million bonus clause in his contract for winning the prize. Karim Benzema, who won it last season, also received a €2 million bonus from Real Madrid for his achievement.

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Craig Burley urges Erling Haaland to boycott Ballon d'Or ceremony in future if he doesn't win

The two main competitors for the Ballon d'Or award this year are Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. As per journalist Fabrizio Romano, Messi will lift the award a record-extending eighth time in Paris on Monday.

However, former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes Haaland deserves the award over the Argentine for his overall season. He said via Football Tweet:

"If Erling Haaland doesn't win the Ballon d'Or, close the shop!

"Lionel Messi has won the World Cup and it's a great achievement, but it's a four-week period. His overall championship form wasn't the best. PSG have been terrible, Erling Haaland… 50+ goals, a Premier League title, an FA Cup and the Champions League. Erling should win this award; I know a lot of people can't leave the Messi train. But look at the big picture."

He added:

"This price is driving me nuts. I think there will be a bunch of emotional stories. ‘Messi has won the World Cup’, ‘Messi is this.. and ‘Messi is that...’ and they will give him another one.

"If I was Erling Haaland, I would never go back to a Ballon d'Or ceremony in my life if he didn't win it this year, just like Robert Lewandowski.”

Messi led Argentina to the FIFA World Cup trophy last year, winning the Golden Ball with seven goals and three assists. He registered 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games across competitions for Paris Saint-Germain, helping them win the Ligue 1 title.

Haaland, meanwhile, helped Manchester City win a historic treble in his first season in English football. He scored 52 goals and provided nine assists in 53 games across competitions.