PSG: Mbappé, Messi no surprise on Ballon d'Or list | OneFootball

The short list for the 2023 Ballon d'Or has been announced, with Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi - who spent the season in question with Paris Saint-Germain - representing Ligue 1 Uber Eats among the world's footballing elite.

The Ballon d'Or, the peak honour for the greatest footballer on planet earth over the preceding year, will be awarded in Paris on October 30. But not before there has been a good seven weeks' of debate as to its most deserving recipient... which could be Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappé, who has never won before but who is nominated for a sixth time, or former Parisian Lionel Messi, the award's record holder with no fewer than seven crowns.

Can Mbappé pip Messi?

The announcement of the 30-player short-list on Wednesday got the ball rolling ahead of the pre-Halloween ceremony at the Théâtre de Chatelet, and although many hold Messi to be the favourite - his having 'finally' led Argentina to World Cup success thought by many to be enough for him to claim a record eighth title - just as eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo (six crowns) failed to figure on the list for the first time in 18 years.

And while there is no Neymar Jr on the list, there is certainly Kylian Mbappé, whose 54 goals for club and country over the course of the 2022-23 season - most notably a hat-trick that sent the World Cup final against Messi's Argentina into extra-time - have him in with a chance of pipping his former teammate to global glory.

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by journalists at France Football, the magazine that conceived of and confers the award, journalists at French sports daily L'Equipe and the captains and coaches of the top 100 national teams on the FIFA World Ranking.

Lens' Wahi, Samba nominated

At the same time, France Football also awards the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21 (Rennes youth academy graduate Eduardo Camavinga, now at Real Madrid, and Lens' Elye Wahi are nominated this year) and the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper (PSG youth academy graduate Mika Maignan, now at AC Milan, and Lens 'keep Brice Samba are nominated this year).

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