2023-11-04 09:43:00
Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or this week. This Saturday, France Football revealed the details of the votes of the 92 journalists designated to elect the footballer of the year 2023. This year, Messi finished with 462 points, quite well ahead of Erling Haaland (357 points) and Kylian Mbappé (270 points). With 105 points ahead, the Argentinian, cited 65 times out of 92 in first place, won with a smaller margin than Karim Benzema last year, who was 356 points ahead of Sadio Mané in 2022 .
Each country, through the voice of its journalist, designated its top 5. The five players named were then awarded 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point. Discover in detail all the votes for this 2023 edition of the Ballon d’Or.
Mbappé shunned by eight countries…
If the Frenchman finished in an honorable 3rd place behind Messi and Haaland, for some countries, the kid from Bondy did not even appear in the five best players on the planet last season. Kylian Mbappé was thus shunned by 8 countries. Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Denmark, Lebanon, Equatorial Guinea, Norway, Cameroon and Bulgaria thus proposed a top 5 without the presence of the Blues striker who nevertheless finished top scorer in the last World Cup. On the contrary, five countries have made the Paris Saint-Germain center forward their number 1 choice (Czech Republic, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Bulgaria).
Mbappé-Haaland: who will have the most Ballons d’Or?
…Messi by six
Even more surprising is the absence of the future winner of the trophy in the ranking of five countries. Thus, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Guinea, Jordan, El Salvador and Switzerland did not consider it appropriate to nominate the Argentine genius in the five best players in the world this year. A strange absence which did not prevent Lionel Messi from winning an eighth Ballon d’Or this week.
Switzerland is original
Of the 92 countries invited, by the voice of a journalist, to vote for this 2023 Ballon d’Or, Switzerland is probably the country which proposed the most original top 5. In addition to having excluded Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé from his top 5, the Swiss journalist proposed an astonishing ranking. If the presence of Herling Haaland in the lead is not scandalous, what happens next may seem surprising. Vinicius Jr., Yassine Bounou, Bernardo Silva and finally Bukayo Saka complete the top 5. The Englishman from Arsenal can also thank Switzerland because it is the only country to have named Saka in the 5 best players in the world in 2023.
Portugal and Argentina defend their colors
If the votes of each country must be done with complete objectivity, certain nations are not afraid to defend their color and therefore the players of their selection. This is particularly true this year with Argentina, world champion in December in Qatar. The Argentine journalist thus proposed a top 5 where only Mbappé, in 3rd position, is an exception as a non-Argentinian. Messi is obviously in the lead ahead of Alvarez. Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez bring up the rear.
On the Portuguese side too, national preference was at full speed. Thus, the Lusitanians designated Bernardo Silva as number 1 in their ranking ahead of Vinicius, Messi, Haaland and Mbappé. The playing master of Portugal and Manchester City finished in 9th place in the general ranking.
Gvardiol, Min-jae Kim and Onana as surprise guests
Other votes also make you smile in this 2023 Ballon d’Or vintage. Thus, Cameroon placed Onana in fourth position in its ranking, when South Korea made Min-jae Kim its 5th choice. Finally Gvardiol is probably the most surprising appointment. The Croatian defender was named the 5th best player in the world by India.
Honduras in love with Grizou
If Antoine Griezmann, third in the Ballon d’Or in 2016 and 2018, did not even appear in the Top 20 of the ranking this year, the Frenchman maintains a very good rating on the Honduras side. Indeed, the Central American country placed the Blues’ playing master in second position just behind Lionel Messi. A surprising second place, the only nomination for the Frenchman, which allows Griezmann to finish this 2023 ranking with 4 points in 21st position.
Costa Rica was right
Note the very good ranking proposed by Costa Rica, the only country to have given a top 5 in the final order of the ranking. By designating Messi, Haaland, Mbappé, De Bruyne and Rodri, the Costa Rican journalist was flawless. The vote in this country should be scrutinized next year to know (perhaps) the future winner of the trophy.
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