"Always I said the Ballon d'Or should be in two sections; one for Messi, then after another one so Haaland should win, yes," said Pep Guardiola when quizzed about the looming battle between his former and current disciples, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, respectively. (Streaming | More Football News)
"We won the treble, he scored a million goals. The worst season for Messi is the best for the rest of the players. Both deserve it. Realistically I want Haaland to have it cause he helped us achieve what we achieved, I would love it. But Messi won the World Cup."
On Monday, October 30, 2023, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland will go head-to-head for the Ballon d’Or 2023. Messi, a veteran in this regard, will be eyeing his record-extending eighth win, while Haaland, a newcomer looking to shepherd the era of the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly out of the room, his first. Out of a list of 30 candidates, their two names stand out, courtesy of stellar individual seasons. But, how does the pair stack up against each other when put through a statistical comparison?
Lionel Messi, 2022-23 Statistics
Despite leaving Europe behind for the time being, Lionel Messi has continued the fine form that helped him scale to the summit and beyond on the other side of the Atlantic. Messi completed a transfer to Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023, but barely missed a step moving from one continent to the other.
In 55 games across all domestic competitions, Messi scored 32 goals and provided 25 assists. The 36-year-old helped PSG to Ligue 1 title in 2022-23 and Inter Miami in their Leagues Cup triumph in 2023. However, his most telling contribution came midway through the season when he helped Argentina win their third FIFA World Cup. Messi scored seven goals, two in the final, as the Albiceleste beat France on penalties.
Erling Haaland, 2022-23 Statistics
It took less than ninety minutes for Erling Haaland to quell any lingering doubts concerning his move and subsequent adjustment to the Premier League, as the Norwegian striker scored twice on his Manchester City league debut. From there on, it was goal after goal after goal for the former Borussia Dortmund man, who finished with 36 goals and eight assists in 35 league games in 2022/23. Overall, his tally stood at 52 in 53 plus nine assists.
Moreover, Haaland’s addition to an already well-functioning City team delivered instant success; Pep Guardiola’s side retained the league title, won the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, the latter after beating Inter Milan in the final.
Full Ballon d’Or 2023 shortlist
André Onana - Manchester United/Cameroon
Josko Gvardiol - Manchester City/Croatia
Karim Benzema - Al Ittihad/France
Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich/Germany
Mohamed Salah - Liverpool/Egypt
Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid/England
Bukayo Saka - Arsenal/England
Randal Kolo Muani - Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City/Belgium
Bernardo Silva - Manchester City/Portugal
Emiliano Martínez - Aston Villa/Argentina
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Napoli/Georgia
Rúben Dias - Manchester City/Portugal
Nicolo Barella - Inter Milan/Italy
Erling Haaland - Manchester City/Norway
Yassine Bounou - Al Hilal/Morocco
Martin Ødegaard - Arsenal/Norway
Julián Álvarez - Manchester City/Argentina
Ilkay Gündogan - Barcelona/Germany
Vinícius Júnior - Real Madrid/Brazil
Lionel Messi - Inter Miami/Argentina
Rodri - Manchester City/Spain
Lautaro Martínez - Inter Milan/Argentina
Antoine Griezmann - Atletico Madrid/France
Robert Lewandowski - Barcelona/Poland
Kylian Mbappé - Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kim Min-jae - Napoli/South Korea
Victor Osimhen - Napoli/Nigeria
Luka Modric - Real Madrid/Croatia
Harry Kane - Bayern Munich/England
The Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony will take place on Monday, October 30 - Tuesday, October 31, 1:30 AM for Indian viewers.
