October 30, 2023. If you were anywhere near the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris that evening, you felt it. That specific, electric hum of a legacy being cemented in real-time. It wasn’t exactly a secret, but when the envelope finally opened, the world got its answer to who won the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
Lionel Messi took home the trophy. Again. For the eighth time.
It honestly feels a bit surreal saying that out loud. Eight. Most world-class players dream of just being in the top 30 once. Messi has eight of the actual golden balls sitting on his mantelpiece. But this one felt different from the others. It wasn't just about club stats or highlight reels. It was about a specific month in Qatar that changed everything for him.
The Man Who Won the 2023 Ballon d'Or: Why Messi?
You’ve gotta look at the timeline to understand why this wasn't just a "popularity contest," though some Erling Haaland fans might loudly disagree. The 2023 award covered the 2022-23 season. Basically, August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023.
Messi’s season was a tale of two worlds.
In Paris, playing for PSG, he was... fine. He put up 21 goals and 20 assists. Those are "best in the world" numbers for almost anyone else, but for Messi, people sort of shrugged. Then he moved to Inter Miami and immediately started winning trophies there too. But the real reason he's the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner is the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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He didn't just play in it. He haunted it.
Seven goals. Three assists. He scored in the group stage. He scored in the Round of 16. The quarter-final. The semi-final. And then two more in the final against France. It was the most "main character" performance we've seen in modern sports history. When you lead your country to their first world title in 36 years, the voters usually stop looking at anything else.
The Breakdown of the Top 3
- 1st: Lionel Messi (462 points) – The World Cup was the clincher.
- 2nd: Erling Haaland (357 points) – The man scored 52 goals and won the Treble. In almost any other year, he wins this easily.
- 3rd: Kylian Mbappé (270 points) – A hat-trick in a World Cup final and still came third. Life is tough.
Aitana Bonmatí and the Women’s Revolution
While Leo was grabbing the headlines, Aitana Bonmatí was busy having what might be the most dominant individual season ever recorded in women's football. She didn't just win the Ballon d'Or Féminin; she basically owned every pitch she stepped on in 2023.
She won the World Cup with Spain. She won the Champions League with Barcelona. She won Liga F.
She was also the MVP of both the World Cup and the Champions League. It’s hard to argue with a resume that looks like that. Bonmatí has this incredible way of controlling the tempo of a game that reminds you of Andres Iniesta, but with a bit more of a scoring edge. She succeeded her teammate Alexia Putellas, keeping the trophy in Barcelona for the third year running.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2023 Vote
There’s this idea that Erling Haaland was "robbed."
I get it. I really do. The guy was a literal cyborg for Manchester City. He broke the Premier League scoring record. He won the Champions League. If the Ballon d'Or was purely about "who had the best statistical club season," Haaland walks away with it.
But the Ballon d'Or has always had a "narrative" element. The criteria look at individual performance, then team success, and then "player class and fair play." The World Cup is the biggest stage on the planet. For the 100 journalists from the top 100 FIFA nations who vote, Messi’s "crowning moment" carried more weight than Haaland’s weekly brilliance in the rain in Manchester.
Interestingly, only six journalists didn't put Messi or Haaland in their top spot. Some went for Mbappé. One guy in Portugal actually voted for Bernardo Silva as his number one. You have to respect the boldness, honestly.
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The Other Winners You Might Have Missed
It wasn't just the big two. The night was a bit of a Manchester City and Real Madrid party otherwise.
Jude Bellingham took home the Kopa Trophy. This is for the best player under 21. At the time, he was making the transition from Dortmund to Madrid look like he was just moving from one room to another in his own house. He’s a freak of nature.
Emiliano Martínez won the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper. This one caused a bit of a stir in the room. Why? Well, because he plays for Aston Villa and while he's great, his win was almost entirely based on that save against Kolo Muani in the World Cup final. Some people felt Ederson, who won everything with City, deserved it more. But Dibu has that "villain energy" that's hard to ignore.
Vinícius Júnior received the Sócrates Award for his humanitarian work. He’s been doing incredible things for education in Brazil, and it was a rare moment of the night where everyone actually agreed on something.
Why 2023 Was a Turning Point
This ceremony felt like the end of an era. It was the first time since 2003 that Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't even nominated.
Think about that. Two decades.
With Messi now playing in the MLS and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, the 2023 Ballon d'Or felt like a final goodbye to the "Big Two" era. We're now moving into the era of Haaland, Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vini Jr. It’s a bit sad, but also kinda exciting.
Messi winning it while playing for Inter Miami (though technically awarded for his time at PSG and the World Cup) was also a massive statement for football outside of Europe. He became the first active MLS player to win the award. That’s a stat that’s going to be in pub quizzes for the next fifty years.
Actionable Insights for Football Fans
If you're trying to keep track of how these awards work for future seasons, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The Period Matters: The Ballon d'Or now follows the European season (August to July), not the calendar year. Don't look at goals scored in November if you're trying to predict the winner of that year's award.
- Voter Pool: It’s not just "anyone." It’s 100 specific journalists. Their bias often leans toward major international tournaments.
- The "Haaland Rule": Dominating a league is great, but the Ballon d'Or usually requires a "moment." If you don't have a defining game in a major final, you're at a disadvantage against someone who does.
The best way to stay ahead is to watch the Champions League knockout stages and the major international summer tournaments. Those are the only windows that truly matter to the voters. You can score five goals against a bottom-tier league team in January, and it won't move the needle nearly as much as a brace in a semi-final in May.
Check the official France Football rankings if you want to see the full list of where players like Victor Osimhen or Julian Alvarez landed. It’s a fascinating look at who the world considered elite during that specific 12-month window.