The 2023 Ballon d’Or was handed out on Monday night by publication France Football as Lionel Messi claimed an unprecedented eighth success in the award’s history.
The Inter Miami star was among the hot favourites to claim the gong after leading Argentina to 2022 World Cup glory in Qatar, but he wasn’t the only player eyeing success at the ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
While there was no competition from Messi‘s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo – the Portugal international was left off the shortlist for the first time since 2003 – Erling Haaland’s ridiculous strike rate in front of goal with Manchester City meant the Norwegian had plenty of supporters in the voting.
The golden ball wasn’t the only award being handed out either. As well as the equivalent prize in the women’s game, the Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Socrates Award, Gerd Muller Trophy and Club of the Year were all handed to game-leading figures in the modern game.
Here are the award winners for each category and the full standings for each prize.
- Ballon d’or 2023 – Full rankings and award winners
2023 Ballon d’Or standings:
- 30th – Ruben Dias (Manchester City/Portugal)
- Joint 28th – Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain/France) and Martin Odegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
- 27th – Nicolo Barella (Inter/Italy)
- 26th – Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/Germany)
- 25th – Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City/Croatia)
- 24th – Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
- 23rd – Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon)
- 22nd – Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich/South Korea)
- 21st – Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/France)
- 20th – Lautaro Martinez (Inter/Argentina)
- 19th – Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
- 18th – Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
- 17th – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli/Georgia)
- 16th – Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad/France)
- 15th – Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
- 14th – Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona/Germany)
- 13th – Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Morocco)
- 12th – Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona/Poland)
- 11th – Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt)
- 10th – Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia)
- 9th – Bernardo Silva (Manchester City/Portugal)
- 8th – Victor Osimhen (Napoli/Nigeria)
- 7th – Julian Alvarez (Manchester City/Argentina)
- 6th – Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
- 5th – Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
- 4th – Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Belgium)
- 3rd – Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/France)
- 2nd – Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
- 1st – Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina)
2023 Ballon d’Or Feminin standings:
- 30th – Daphne Van Domselaar (Aston Villa/Netherlands)
- 29th – Jill Roord (Manchester City/Netherlands)
- 28th – Debinha (Kansas City Current/Brazil)
- 27th – Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City/Japan)
- 26th – Wendie Renard (Lyon/France)
- 25th – Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns/USWNT)
- 24th – Khadija Shaw (Manchester City/Jamaica)
- 23rd – Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich/England)
- 22nd – Katie McCabe (Arsenal/Republic of Ireland)
- 21st – Alba Redondo (Levante/Spain)
- 20th – Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona/Nigeria)
- 19th – Guro Reiten (Chelsea/Norway)
- 18th – Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg/Poland)
- 17th – Hayley Raso (Real Madrid/Australia)
- 16th – Mapi Leon (Barcelona/Spain)
- 15th – Amanda Ilestedt (Arsenal/Sweden)
- 14th – Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon/France)
- 13th – Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg/Germany)
- 12th – Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United/Japan)
- 11th – Millie Bright (Chelsea/England)
- 10th – Rachel Daly (Aston Villa/England)
- 9th – Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid/Colombia)
- 8th – Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona/Spain)
- 7th – Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg/Germany)
- 6th – Olga Carmona (Real Madrid/Spain)
- 5th – Mary Earps (Manchester United/England)
- 4th – Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona/Sweden)
- 3rd – Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona/Spain)
- 2nd – Sam Kerr (Chelsea/Australia)
- 1st – Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona/Spain)
2023 Kopa Trophy standings:
- 10th – Elye Wahi (Lens)
- 9th – Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United/Denmark)
- 8th – Antonio Silva (Benfica/Portugal)
- 7th – Alejandro Balde (Barcelona/Spain)
- 6th – Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig – Paris Saint-Germain/Netherlands)
- 5th – Gavi (Barcelona/Spain)
- 4th – Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/France)
- 3rd – Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)
- 2nd – Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/Germany)
- 1st – Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
2023 Yashin Trophy standings:
- 10th – Brice Samba (Lens/France)
- 9th – Mike Maignan (AC Milan/France)
- 8th – Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal/England)
- 7th – Dominik Livakovic (Fenerbahce/Croatia)
- 6th – Andre Onana (Manchester United/Cameroon)
- 5th – Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona/Germany)
- 4th – Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid/Belgium)
- 3rd – Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal/Morocco)
- 2nd – Ederson (Manchester City/Brazil)
- 1st – Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
2023 Gerd Muller Trophy standings:
- 5th – Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona/Poland) – 36 goals
- 4th – Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina) – 38 goals
- 3rd – Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England) – 40 goals
- 2nd – Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/France) – 54 goals
- 1st – Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway) – 56 goals
2023 Men’s Club of the Year – Manchester City
Treble winners Manchester City were awarded the 2023 Men’s Club of the Year award, which marked a back-to-back win. Barcelona Femeni won the 2023 Women’s Club of the Year award, which was given for the first time this year.
- 2023 Women’s Club of the Year – Barcelona
The Barça women‘s first team have been recognised as the best women’s team of 2023.
During the Ballon d’Or gala in Paris, the Barça Women players received the award after an exceptional season in 2022/23 in which they won no less than three trophies, amongst them a second Champions League crown.
- 2023 Socrates Award – Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr will keep speaking out against racism … Vinicius vows to continue fight against racism as he wins Socrates Award.
- How does the Ballon d’Or voting format work?
The Ballon d’Or victor is decided by 100 journalists from FIFA’s 100 top-ranked member nations. Each journalist makes their top five picks from the 30-man shortlist, with each ranking earning a different points value/number of votes.
- First: Six points
- Second: Four points
- Third: Three points
- Fourth: Two points
- Fifth: One point
As you’d expect, the player who picks up the most points in voting is named that year’s Ballon d’Or victor.