Ballon d’Or: Date for release of nominees’ confirmed, possible winners revealed

France Football has confirmed that the nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or will be announced on September 6.

This year’s award ceremony will take place on October 16 and some of the biggest names in football will likely be up for the prestigious honour.

The list of 30 players who will be gunning for the prize will be released on September 6.

Lionel Messi is the favourite for the accolade having helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He also won the Ligue 1 title with PSG.

The 35-year-old scored seven goals and provided three assists in eight World Cup appearances, winning his second Golden Ball award.

He also netted 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games across competitions at the Parc des Princes this season.

Manchester City’s free-scoring striker Erling Haaland is also expected to be in the fray. The 22-year-old Norwegian has scored 52 goals in as many games across competitions.

He has played a vital role in City’s Premier League and FA Cup triumphs. His teammate Kevin De Bruyne has been equally as impressive, scoring ten goals and providing 31 assists in 48 games.

Other names expected to feature on the list are Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior; PSG’s Kylian Mbappe; Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Karim Benzema.