Soccer

Lionel Messi or Erling Haaland? Ronaldo Nazario makes unbiased pick for 2023 Ballon d’Or winner

Ronaldo Nazario has made his recommendation for the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner between Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. The legendary Brazilian striker has also provided a sensible justification for his selection.

Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario, and Erling Haaland
© Lintao Zhang, Aurelien Meunier & David Ramos/Getty ImagesLionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario, and Erling Haaland

The 67th annual event for the most prestigious award in global football, the Ballon d’Or, will take place on October 30, with nominations being revealed on September 6. Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is the current Ballon d’Or winner, although he has almost no chance of repeating as champion.

It’s likely that either Lionel Messi or Erling Haaland will win the prize for the 2022-23 season. The new Inter Miami star is an overwhelming favorite after leading Argentina to their first World Cup victory since 1986 last December. At age 35, he accomplished his lifelong goal of winning a global championship, which might boost his profile at the awards ceremony.

Yet, he faces formidable opposition. While the Norwegian didn’t feature in Qatar, his club, Manchester City, dominated English football, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. The 22-year-old ended the season with an astounding tally of 52 goals in 53 matches.

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Who should win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award according to Ronaldo Nazario?

One of the all-time best players, Ronaldo Nazario, has voiced his view on who should win this particular honor. The Brazilian legend has placed greater weight on Messi’s World Cup victory and has thus chosen him as the deserving winner of the Ballon d’Or 2023.

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“Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. I think he will be crowned. He won the World Cup, which is a very big tournament”, Ronaldo Nazario remarked, via Albiceleste Talk.

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