10 best players of 2023 named by IFFHS | OneFootball

Highlights

IFFHS have revealed the top 10 players of 2023, with one superstar name being left out of the list completely. Erling Haaland of Manchester City was named the best performing player of the calendar year by the organisation that was originally tasked with awarding the World's Best Player award in 1988 before FIFA took over this role.

Haaland had an incredible 2023 as broke the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season with 36 in only 35 appearances. Man City completed a historic treble with the Norgegian goal machine leading the line in 2023 as the Citizens lifted the FA Cup, Premier League and a first-ever Champions League.

It is hard to argue the result of the 23-year-old scooping the prize, although he was beaten to the prestigious Ballon d'Or honour by Lionel Messi in November. The Argentine did make the cut on IFFHS's list, but where exactly did he finish?

IFFHS's top 10 players of 2023

Lionel Messi beaten to second place by former club teammate

Messi wasn't only bettered by Haaland, but also by his former Paris Saint-Germain colleague Kylian Mbappé. The French striker has been regarded as one of the top footballers on the planet for several years now, and it is more than likely only a matter of time until he lifts the Ballon d'Or.

The sheer volume of goals the 25-year-old has scored in 2023 for club and country is enough to secure a second-place finish, with Messi completing the podium on this occasion.

Two midfielders that have had sensational years on a personal front - Rodri and Jude Bellingham - make up the rest of the top five. The latter impressed in the first half of 2023, but has taken his performances to a different level completely in the first six months of his time with Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Rodri is the glue that holds Man City's team together and is arguably a more key figure to the European champions than Haaland.

Kevin De Bruyne has had numerous injury issues throughout the year, but the Belgian still makes the top 10 along with yet another City midfielder, Bernardo Silva. Harry Kane ranks quite low despite his brilliant 30-goal season for Tottenham that has been followed by a record-breaking time at Bayern Munich after his summer transfer from Tottenham.

Real Madrid's samba sensation Vinícius Júnior and Inter Milan's talisman Lautaro Martinez round off the top 10 as the duo have caught the eye on many occasions over the past 365 days. This leaves one notable exclusion from the list, and many fans will be quick to spot exactly who it is.

Cristiano Ronaldo responds to missing out on top 10

The Al-Nassr forward has scored 53 goals in 2023

That notable absence from the top 10 list is Cristiano Ronaldo. The top goalscorer of all time is reaching the twilight years of his career at 38-years-old but is showing no sign of slowing down in front of goal. As clinical as ever, the Manchester United and Real Madrid icon has netted 53 goals in 2023 but was judged to be unworthy of a place on IFFHS's list.

Ronaldo is never one to shy away from making his feelings clear, and this occasion was no different as the Portuguese striker responded to an Instagram post that displayed the top 10. Simply replying with three laughing emojis and an eye-covering emoji, it is clear that Ronaldo wasn't in total agreement with the rankings presented.

Fans would expect nothing less from the iconic figure to rate himself as the very best player in the world, and this confidence is one of the attributes that helped propel him to the top of the sport.