It happened in Paris. October 30, 2023. The Théâtre du Châtelet was packed with the kind of star power that makes your head spin, but everyone really only cared about one guy. When David Beckham walked onto that stage to open the envelope, the air basically left the room.
Lionel Messi won the 2023 Ballon d'Or. Eight. That is the number of Golden Balls he owns now. It feels fake, doesn't it? Most legends are lucky to glimpse one in a lifetime. Messi has eight. He beat out Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé to take the trophy home, and honestly, the "who won 2023 Ballon d'Or" question wasn't just about a trophy—it was about crowning the end of an era.
Why Messi Took It Home (Again)
You've heard the arguments. People say it was a "sympathy" vote or a "legacy" award. But look at the numbers. They don't lie.
Between August 2022 and July 2023, Messi wasn't just some guy coasting in Miami. He was a force. He played 41 matches for PSG, scored 21 goals, and dropped 20 assists. That's elite. Then there's the big one: Qatar. The World Cup.
Messi didn't just play in the 2022 World Cup; he owned it. He scored seven goals, including two in the wildest final we've ever seen against France. He was the first player ever to score in every single knockout round. When Argentina needed a miracle, he provided it. That month in the desert basically locked this award up before the year even really got going.
The Haaland Problem
Erling Haaland was a literal robot for Manchester City. 52 goals in 53 games. A Treble. The Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League—all of it.
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So why did he lose?
Well, the Ballon d'Or is about "moments" as much as it is about "output." Haaland disappeared a bit in the big finals (Champions League and FA Cup), while Messi was the protagonist of the biggest sporting event on the planet. Haaland won the Gerd Müller Trophy for being the best striker, but he couldn't quite nudge Messi off the top spot.
Messi ended up with 462 points. Haaland had 357. It wasn't even that close in the end.
The Women’s Game: Aitana Bonmatí’s Coronation
While everyone was arguing about Messi and Haaland, Aitana Bonmatí was quietly putting together the most dominant season in the history of women's football.
She won the Ballon d'Or Féminin, and there wasn't even a debate.
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Bonmatí won the World Cup with Spain. She won the Champions League with Barcelona. She won the Liga F title. She was the MVP of the World Cup and the MVP of the Champions League. Basically, if there was a trophy available, she took it.
She’s different. She plays like she has eyes in the back of her head. During the World Cup, her pass completion rate was nearly 85%, and she dictated the tempo of every single game. She took over the mantle from her teammate Alexia Putellas, who had won the previous two.
The Rest of the 2023 Winners
The night wasn't just about the big two. A few other guys walked away with some heavy hardware:
- Jude Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy. He’s the best U-21 player in the world, and nobody is surprised.
- Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez took the Yashin Trophy. Is he the most liked keeper? Maybe not in France. Is he the best? The trophy says yes.
- Vinícius Júnior grabbed the Sócrates Award for his humanitarian work and his fight against racism in Spain.
- Manchester City was named Men's Club of the Year. Obviously.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's this weird myth that Messi won because he's "Messi."
Kinda. But also, no.
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The criteria for the Ballon d'Or changed recently. It’s now based on the season, not the calendar year. This means his World Cup heroics fell squarely into the 2022-23 window. If the award still followed the old January-to-December format, maybe the momentum would have shifted toward Haaland or even Rodri. But under these rules? It was Messi’s to lose.
Also, people forget that Messi was the highest-rated player in Europe’s top five leagues for much of that season. He wasn't just a "World Cup wonder." He was creating big chances (33 of them!) and completing dribbles at a rate that would make a 22-year-old jealous.
Actionable Insights for Football Fans
If you're trying to keep track of how these things are decided for future years, keep these points in mind:
- Follow the Season, Not the Year: The Ballon d'Or period usually runs from August to July. Check the stats for that specific window, not the whole calendar year.
- Value the "Big Moment": Individual stats matter, but being the Man of the Match in a final carries way more weight with the 100 journalists who vote.
- Check the Rankings: If you want to see the full list, Messi, Haaland, and Mbappé made up the top three, followed by Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri.
The 2023 ceremony was likely the last time we'll see Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on that stage. It felt like a graduation. A goodbye. And honestly, seeing Messi lift that eighth trophy while playing for Inter Miami—becoming the first MLS player to ever win it—felt like the perfect ending to a story that started way back in 2004.
To stay ahead of the next cycle, keep a close eye on the performance metrics of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid, as they are the clear favorites for the coming years.
Next Steps for You
- Review the full voting breakdown to see which countries gave Messi the top spot.
- Compare Aitana Bonmatí's 2023 stats against the 2024 contenders to see if a repeat is possible.
- Look into the revised France Football criteria to understand why "individual character" now weighs heavier than "club trophies."