Ballon d’Or 2023 Bookmakers
The Ballon d’Or is an annual award handed out by France Football to the best football player of the season. The winner is determined through voting, with sporting journalists from all around the world choosing the best player of 2023 from a list of 30 nominees. Here at Match.Center, we will present to you the best bookmakers for Ballon d’Or 2023 betting in Ireland. In addition, we will give you all the needed information if you want to bet on the 2023 Ballon d’Or, will analyse odds on the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner and will share our predictions.
Best Bookmakers to Bet on 2023 Ballon d’Or
What is the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is regarded as the most prestigious individual award in football, with French magazine France Football presenting it since 1956. At first, the winners were exclusively picked from European footballers, which has meant that football legends like Pele or Diego Maradona have never won the Ballon d’Or. In 1995, any footballer playing in an European championship became eligible for the award regardless of nationality. And in 2005, all the remaining restrictions were lifted.
For five editions, between 2010 and 2015, the trophy was awarded in cooperation with FIFA and was known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or. In 2016, France Football returned to single-handedly awarding the Ballon d’Or and has since introduced several other awards like the Yashin Trophy to the best goalkeeper of the season or the Kopa Trophy to the best youngster of the season.
Ballon d’Or 2023 Betting: Winner Odds Comparison
According to all bookmakers in Ireland, Lionel Messi is the runaway favourite to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or, with 1.14 being the highest odds available on him. The Argentinian forward is followed by Erling Haaland, while the third (and very distant) favourite to the award varies depending on the bookmaker, as you will see on our 2023 Ballon d’or betting list.
Bet365 | Betfair | Paddy Power | 888sport | 32red | Sky Bet | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leo Messi | 1.10 | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.10 | 1.14 | 1.14 |
Erling Haaland | 5.50 | 5.50 | 5.50 | 5.50 | 5.00 | 5.00 |
Kevin De Bruyne | 51.00 | 81.00 | 81.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | – |
Rodri | 51.00 | 81.00 | 81.00 | 51.00 | 41.00 | 51.00 |
Vinícius Júnior | 51.00 | 81.00 | 81.00 | 51.00 | 51.00 | 101.00 |
Kylian Mbappé | 67.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 67.00 | 67.00 | 81.00 |
Karim Benzema | 81.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 81.00 | 51.00 | 101.00 |
Julián Álvarez | 67.00 | 176.00 | 176.00 | – | 81.00 | 251.00 |
Harry Kane | 101.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 67.00 |
Jude Bellingham | 101.00 | 81.00 | 81.00 | 101.00 | 101.00 | 26.00 |
Lionel Messi
The player with the most Ballon d’Or wins in history is also the leading candidate to win the award in 2023. The 36-year-old’s positioning is explained by Argentina’s triumph at the FIFA 2022 World Cup and his incredible performances at the tournament in Qatar. Messi came in clutch more than once during the 2022 FIFA World Cup (including the final when he scored a brace), and with seven goals and three assists, he was deservingly named player of the tournament.
Messi was less lucky at the club level but had a solid 2022/23 season nonetheless. He won the Ligue 1 with PSG while contributing with 16 goals and 16 assists in 32 appearances. However, the Parisians were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 and missed out on the domestic cups, so we cannot call the previous term an undisputed success.
Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland, on the other hand, had a perfect season with Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s team completed the treble by winning their first ever Champions League trophy. The Norwegian striker was undisputedly a key piece in the Citizens’ well-oiled machine and their biggest scoring outlet.
Haaland recorded 52 goals in 53 games across all competitions. He was especially good in the Premier League (36 goals in 35 matches) and the Champions League (12 goals in 11 matches). His 36 league goals also helped him break the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season – in his debut year – and also won him the European Golden Boot.
The astronomical numbers aside, Haaland did not participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Norway missed out on qualification and many have criticised him for his below-par performances in the Champions League semi-finals and final.
Kevin De Bruyne
If Erling Haaland was the main scoring outlet at Manchester City, then Kevin De Bruyne was the brain of this construction. Playing most often in the final third of the pitch, the Belgian midfielder was tasked with finding the killer pass and he did an amazing job. With 31 assists and 10 goals in 49 matches for the Citizens, Kevin’s contribution to the team’s success in 2022/23 is difficult to overestimate.
The 32-year-old also showed leadership and commitment as he pushed himself to play in the Champions League final against Inter Milan despite carrying an injury. However, Pep Guardiola was forced to take him off already in the first half.
Unlike Haaland, De Bruyne played at the FIFA 2022 World Cup but his Belgium side was eliminated in the group stages after a series of chaotic performances. So, this is not enough of an argument to put him above Erling on the 2023 Ballon d’Or odds.
Rodri
Rodri could be the dark horse in the 2023 Ballon d’or race. The Spanish midfielder does not have the same figures as Messi, Haaland or even De Bruyne, but that is not expected of a player in his position. But even so, four goals and seven assists in 56 matches are very respectable numbers, and let’s not forget that one of those goals was the game-winner in the Champions League final!
Rodri’s importance to Pep Guardiola is highlighted by the fact that he started 52 matches, more than any other player on the team. The 27-year-old was consistent and reliable, it is difficult to name at least one bad game he has had in the last couple of seasons.
Moreover, Rodri had played a key role in Spain’s victory in the UEFA Nations League, so he has that advantage over the other Man City players on the list.
Vinicius Junior
The Real Madrid winger finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or voting in 2022 and now has all the chances to fight for a higher position this year. Vinicius Junior was an instrumental player at Real Madrid, and with Karim Benzema struggling with injuries from time to time, the Brazilian was often regarded as the main attacking threat at Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian had an impressive personal record of 23 goals and 21 assists in 55 matches across all competitions. Thanks to his goal contributions, Real Madrid were able to clinch the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Copa del Rey last year. Los Blancos also reached the Champions League semifinals and finished second in La Liga. His Brazil also played in the FIFA 2022 World Cup quarters.
It definitely wasn’t an ideal year for Vinicius, especially in terms of collective achievements, but his good personal numbers should place him high on the final voting.
Ballon d’Or 2023 Winner Prediction
All of the bookmakers in Ireland consider Lionel Messi the clear favourite to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or. The odds on this event range between 1.10 and 1.14, suggesting that the bookies do not really see it as a matter for debate.
If Messi is awarded the Ballon d’Or this year, it would become his eighth such award, extending the gap between him and his nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo to three Ballon d’Ors. This would also be a nice parting gift for the 36-year-old, as he now plays for Inter Miami in the MLS and it is very difficult to imagine him winning another Ballon d’Or in the future.
Back in the day, the legendary Johan Cruyff said tha Messi would retire with “five, six, or seven Ballon d’Ors”. It appears that even Cruyff’s genius could not fully predict the impact Messi would have on the game.
How Does the Voting Take Place?
Unlike before, since 2022 only 100 journalists from the top 100 countries in FIFA world ranking are able to vote. The journalists are presented the list of 30 nominees compiled by France Football’s editorial board and are asked to choose five players, ranking from first to fifth place. The footballer in the first place receives 6 points, the second spot gets 4 points, third spot – 3, fourth spot – 2 points and fifth spot – 1 point.
If two players have the same amount of points, the winner is chosen based on the number of times they have been placed first. There are other tiebreakers as well, and if none is applicable, a jury of the France Football editorial board gets to name the winner.
The Ballon d’Or Award
Despite what the name suggests, the Ballon d’Or is not actually made of gold. Instead, the Ballon d’Or is claimed to be bathed in gold on the outside and filled with a wax-like material on the inside. The base is made of pyrite while the frame is made of brass. The whole construction weighs around 7 kg, measures 23 cm in diameter and stands 31 cm tall. The Ballon d’Or is worth around €3,000.
How to Bet on the 2023 Ballon d’Or Winner?
The Ballon d’Or is a trophy of major interest of the fans due to its historical importance, and thus many bookmakers odds on the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner. Typically, the bookmakers offer the users to guess the winner of the next Ballon d’Or. When making your choice, there are a list of factors you need to pay attention to.
Collective and Individual Achievements
France Football gives the most importance to the collective and individual achievements during the season when picking their Ballon d’Or nominees. Collective achievements include trophies at the club and country level. Typically, the FIFA World Cup trophy holds more weight than any other competition for historical reasons and because it takes place only once every four years.
As for individual achievements, this may include record-breaking numbers like goals or assists, as well as individual trophies like the Golden Boot or Player of the Year awards in various leagues.
Fair Play and Class
Fair Play is considered to be a core value in football and one that international organisations like FIFA and UEFA try to promote. For these reasons, the Ballon d’Or candidates need to be respectful on and off the pitch and have a good public image.
Big personal scandals may discourage France Football from even nominating a player for the award, as it happened with Luis Suarez in the past when he was suspended from playing due to him biting the opponents. Thankfully, the Ballon d’Or nominees for 2023 do not have that kind of baggage behind their backs.
Career
A player’s overall career and over-the-years performances are also taken into consideration. This could imply that a more experienced player that came close to winning the Ballon d’Or in the past but for some reasons did not have more chances of being placed first when compared to a younger player.
In this regard, Kevin De Bruyne may be favoured by the voters as he has been at a very good level of the past several years while Erling Haaland has really had his first good season at the top level only last year.
Top 3 Bookmakers to Bet on 2023 Ballon d’Or
There are many bookmakers in Ireland that offer odds on the Ballon d’Or winner. All of them agree that Lionel Messi is the major favourite and Erling Haaland comes in second, but next candidates and odds may differ depending on the bookmaker.
32Red
32red gives 1.14 odds on Lionel Messi to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or which is one of the highest in Ireland. The odds on Erling Haaland, however, stand at 5.00 which is slightly below what other bookmakers offer. The remaining candidates are all above 41.00 odds.
- Lionel Messi – 1.14;
- Erling Haaland – 5.00;
- Kevin De Bruyne – 41.00;
- Rodri – 41.00;
- Vinicius Junior – 51.00.
Sky Bet
SkyBet is also a good choice if you want to go for one of the two favourites, as they give 1.14 odds on Lionel Mssi and 5.00 odds on Erling Haaland. However, the bookmaker does not have odds available on Kevin De Bruyne. In fact, the third contender is, rather surprisingly, Jude Bellingham with 26.00 odds.
- Lionel Messi – 1.14;
- Erling Haaland – 5.00;
- Jude Bellingham – 26.00;
- Rodri – 51.00;
- Kylian Mbappe – 81.00.
Betfair
Betfair also has a good balance between Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or, with 1.11 and 5.50 odds respectively. They are followed by a trio of players that start at 81.00 odds.
- Lionel Messi – 1.11;
- Erling Haaland – 5.50;
- Kevin De Bruyne – 81.00;
- Rodri – 81.00;
- Vinicius Junior – 81.00.
Full List of 2023 Ballon d’Or Nominees
The full list of nominees was unveiled by France Football on September 6. The winner will be announced at the Ballon d’Or Gala in Paris on October 30. It is the fourth consecutive time that the ceremony will take place at the Theatre de Chatelet, although the organisers cancelled the 2020 Ballon d’Or Gala due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Player | Club |
---|---|
Julian Alvarez | Manchester City |
Nicolo Barella | Inter Milan |
Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid |
Karim Benzeema | Real Madrid/Al Ittihad |
Yassine Bounou | Sevilla/Al Hilal |
Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City |
Ruben Dias | Manchester City |
Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid |
Ilkay Gundogan | Manchester City/Barcelona |
Josko Gvardiol | Manchester City |
Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspur/Bayern Munich |
Kim Min-jae | Napoli/Bayern Munich |
Randal Kolo Muani | Eintracht Frankfurt/PSG |
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Napoli |
Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona |
Emiliano Martinez | Aston Villa |
Lautaro Martinez | Inter Milan |
Kylian Mbappe | PSG |
Lionel Messi | PSG/Inter Miami |
Luka Modric | Real Madrid |
Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich |
Martin Odegaard | Arsenal |
Andre Onana | Inter Milan/Manchester United |
Victor Osimhen | Napoli |
Rodri | Manchester City |
Bukayo Saka | Arsenal |
Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
Bernardo Silva | Manchester City |
Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid |
Ballon d’Or Winners
Since the Ballon d’Or was at first only awarded to European players or those playing in European clubs, there are many big players from South America that do not have a single award. However, you will find a lot of modern legends on the list, with Lionel Messi sitting atop with seven total wins.
Player | Ballon d’Or Awards |
---|---|
Lionel Messi | 7 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021) |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) |
Johan Cruyff | 3 (1971, 1973, 1974) |
Michel Platini | 3 (1983, 1984, 1985) |
Marco van Basten | 3 (1988, 1989, 1992) |
Alfredo Di Stefano | 2 (1957, 1959) |
Franz Beckenbauer | 2 (1972, 1976) |
Kevin Keegan | 2 (1978, 1979) |
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 2 (1980, 1981) |
Ronaldo Nazario | 2 (1997, 2002) |
Ballon d’Or 2023 FAQ
When will the 2023 Ballon d’Or be awarded?
The 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 30 in Paris at Theatre du Chatelet. The Ballon d’Or has been continuously awarded since 1956 with the exception of 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides the Men’s Ballon d’Or, France Football will also present the Women’s Ballon d’Or, the Kopa Trophy to the best youngster, the Yashin Trophy to the best goalkeeper and the Gerd Muller Trophy to the best forward. It is rumoured that there may be a new award introduced this year.
Who will win the 2023 Ballon d’Or?
The bookmakers agree that Lionel Messi is the main favourite to win the Ballon d’Or in 2023, with odds ranging from 1.10 to 1.14. Erling Haaland is considered the next best candidate to the prize, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri also believed to stand a chance.
Who has won the most Ballon d’Or awards?
Lionel Messi is the player with the most Ballon d’Or awards in history, currently at seven. The Argentina international is favoured to win the Ballon d’Or in 2023 as well after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
What Irish player has won the Ballon d’Or?
No player from the Republic of Ireland has ever won the Ballon d’Or or even finished in the top three. George Best won the Ballon d’Or in 1968 but he played for the national team of Northern Ireland.
When has Messi won his first Ballon d’Or?
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or on several occasions: in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. The Argentinian forward is considered the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or in 2023 as well.
How much does the Ballon d’Or weigh?
The Ballon d’Or award is reported to weigh around 7 kg. Despite its name, the Ballon d’Or is not made fully out of gold. The main frame of the construction is made out of brass, the outside is bathed in gold while the inside is filled up with wax. The estimated cost of the Ballon d’Or is €3,000.