The competition for the Ballon d'Or for the 2022-2023 season intensified with more players around the world, and the race for the Ballon d'Or for 2023 concluded after the end of the last season 2022-2023. The stars of the game gave their best to win the prestigious individual award in football throughout the past season, as many players achieved significant accomplishments to claim the Ballon d'Or 2023.

Kareem Benzema won the award in 2022, and unlike last year, 2023 has many contenders for the award, unlike the previous year where all indications pointed to Benzema as the title winner.

Here we highlight the top five contenders for the Ballon d'Or this year..

Lionel Messi made a compelling case for his eighth Ballon d'Or to enhance the record, and it will be hard to surpass that. While he led Argentina to the last World Cup, he won the Golden Ball in the tournament, scoring seven goals and winning the World Cup with La Albiceleste, delivering a series of stunning performances throughout the tournament.

He also had an excellent domestic season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning the French league title in his final season in the French capital. Messi scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 matches across all competitions for the Parisians last season, before starting his career with Inter Miami and winning his first title with them, the Leagues Cup, successfully scoring 8 goals.

2- Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland joined Manchester City and terrified opponents with his remarkable scoring ability. He was the top scorer in his first season in England, and he is an exceptional 23-year-old striker, arguably the best in the world.

Haaland broke records with City last season, scoring 52 goals and providing nine assists in 53 matches across all competitions with Manchester City in the 2022-23 season. He is expected to win many Ballon d'Or awards in the future, but this may not be his year as he could finish as a runner-up behind Messi.

3- Kylian Mbappé
 

If the Ballon d'Or were solely based on individual achievements, Kylian Mbappé could have been the favorite to win the prestigious award this year, but that is unfortunately not the case for the French star of Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite winning the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain and receiving incredible individual awards, Mbappé seems to be among the contenders, but his chances are not as strong as Messi and Haaland.

Mbappé won the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, even scoring a hat-trick for France in the final against Argentina, but the French team ultimately lost the epic final on penalties. The 24-year-old also finished the 2022-23 season as the top scorer in the French league.

4- Rodri
 
Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, has now established himself as the best midfielder in the world. The Spanish player is extremely intelligent and technically skilled, and his contributions were vital in Manchester City's historic treble win last season.

Rodri does everything on the Manchester City pitch, scoring the winning goal for Manchester City in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, and he also won the UEFA Nations League with Spain this summer.

At the very least, Rodri should reach the podium for the Ballon d'Or this year, and if he does not win, he will be among the top three contenders.

5- Kevin De Bruyne
 
The Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne is now the king of assists in Europe, and no one can argue against this notion. The Belgian midfield maestro was the main architect for Manchester City as they raced to win the continental treble last season.

De Bruyne was at his best last season, making passes that his peers might not even think of and creating chances from nothing. The 31-year-old scored 10 goals and provided 31 stunning assists in 49 matches across all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team in the 2022-23 season.

He is definitely the dark horse in the race for the Ballon d'Or 2023.