PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Haaland’s City teammate Kevin De Bruyne also feature among the 30 nominees for the prize, the winner of which will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on October 30.
Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland are among the leading contenders to win this time’s men’s Ballond’Or, while Spain World Cup star Aitana Bonmati leads the appointees blazoned on Wednesday for the women’s prize. Messi, who lately left Paris Saint- Germain for Inter Miami, is in with a chance of succeeding Karim Benzema and winning the Ballond’Or for the eighth time in his remarkable career after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar last time.
Erling Haaland may be his main rival for the prize after scoring 52 pretensions in 53 games to help Manchester City win the treble of titleholders League, Premier League and FA Mug last season.
The Norway striker last week won the UEFA player of the time award for last season.
PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Haaland’s City teammate Kevin De Bruyne also feature among the 30 appointees for the prize, the winner of which will be blazoned at a form in Paris on October 30.
Benzema, who ended a 14- time spell at Real Madrid in June when he moved to Saudi club Al- Ittihad, is also nominated.
Bonmati, winner of the UEFA women’s player award, appears the favourite to claim the Ballond’Or after being the outstanding player as Spain lifted the World Cup in Sydney last month.
She also starred as Barcelona won the titleholders League and will hope to succeed her club and transnational coworker Alexia Putellas, winner in the last two times.
Putellas isn’t nominated this time having hardly played for Barcelona last season after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligament in July 2022 which kept her out for nine months.
Bonmati is one of four members of Spain’s World Cup- winning platoon nominated, along with Olga Carmona, Salma Paralluelo and Alba Redondo.
Their compatriots Patricia Guijarro and Mapi Leon are also named.
Both of Barcelona, they didn’t go to the World Cup after being among a group of 15 players who said last time they no longer wanted to play for Spain in a kick against the Spanish confederation and trainer Jorge Vilda.
Others included in the 30 appointees are Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr and England goalkeeper Mary Earps. Know More Latest Football News…
