- Man City stars dominate after Treble triumph
- Argentine icon current holder of the prize
- Portuguese superstar left off 12-man list
WHAT HAPPENED?
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is the current holder of the most prestigious individual award handed out by world football’s governing body. He is back to defend that crown after helping Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Haaland is another leading contender for the top prize after his 52 goals contributed to Manchester City claiming a historic Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble in 2022-23. Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe scored a hat-trick for France in the World Cup final, only to end up on the losing side, and has remained a model of consistency at club level.
DID YOU KNOW?
England international Rice captained West Ham to Europa Conference League glory last term, before securing a £105 million ($131m) transfer to Arsenal, while Kevin De Bruyne, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva join City team-mate Haaland on the shortlist. Rodri, following his winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final, is also included alongside former Etihad Stadium team-mate Ilkay Gundogan – who skippered City to their memorable trophy triumphs before heading for Barcelona.
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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
While the list of contenders is loaded with talent and trophies, there is no place for Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo – who has also been overlooked in the Ballon d’Or race for 2023. He claimed the inaugural FIFA Best award in 2016, before doubling up in 2017, but has not figured inside the top three places since 2020.
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