Lionel Messi winning his eighth award was the biggest storyline from the 2023 Ballon d’Or gala. But the ceremony included other recognitions, including the Kopa Trophy given to the best U-21 player of the season.
Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid sensation Jude Bellingham emerged victorious. But unlike many other stars, Messi didn’t pick him in first place. Instead, the Argentine superstar first vote went for Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich.
Messi’s next choice was former Barcelona teammate Pedri, with Bellingham in third place. The English midfielder had a fantastic performance at the 2022 World Cup, before leaving Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid in the summer.
While he didn’t lead Messi’s list, Bellingham was voted as the primary candidate by many other legends. Ronaldo, Kaka, Zidane, Blokhin, Van Basten, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Nedved Shevchenko, Cannavaro, Modric and Figo went for the Birmingham product.
Jude Bellingham in action with Real Madrid
Messi sees a great generation of young players
In his Ballon d’Or acceptance speech, Messi made it clear how highly he thinks of the younger generation that is taking the spotlight in world soccer. In an interview with L’Equipe, not only did he admit this may have been his last award, but also named which players could win it from now on.
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“There may be a very beautiful rivalry in the coming years with players like Haaland, Mbappe, Vinicius and many young players competing for the Ballon d’Or. I also think that Lamine Yamal, who is still very young and now plays for Barcelona, will play a prominent role and fight for it in the future too. There will certainly be others competing for it, new players that we do not know will appear, because there are always new players. And I think it will be a very beautiful era to enjoy,” he said.
Erling Haaland was the biggest rival in Messi’s pursuit for an eighth Ballon d’Or, as the Norwegian striker recorded an impressive 52 goals for Manchester City last season. Leo admitted Haaland also deserved it, claiming he will probably win it in the next few years.
Is Bellingham a future Ballon d’Or winner?
Bellingham’s fantastic start to life in Spain, with 13 goals in 14 appearances, makes one wonder how far he can go. Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, for instance, already imagines him as a Ballon d’Or winner.
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“The sky is the limit for him if he keeps doing what he is doing,” Bale told Sky Sports. “I haven’t seen a lot, but he has made a great start, scoring a lot of goals which is important at a club like Madrid. He’s doing well. I hope he keeps on going and makes Britain proud.”
His recent Kopa Trophy success suggests Bellingham could challenge for the biggest individual prize in the years to come. But of course, he will face competition. Haaland, Mbappe, and Vinicius may lead the debate, but younger players such as Pedri or Gavi could also be in the mix.
