Messi clear favourite to win 2023 Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi is as short as 1/10 in Coral’s 2023 Ballon d’Or betting odds after the nominations for the award were revealed.

Messi, already a record seven-time winner of the annual prize for world player of the year, is again the clear favourite after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.

Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were also included on the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious prize published by organisers France Football on Wednesday.

Coral’s John Hill said: “Our betting suggests World Cup winner Lionel Messi is on course for his eighth Ballon d’Or crown this year. The Inter Miami player is long odds-on to land the prize, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland his only real challenger for the trophy.”

Messi, who now plays his club football with Inter Miami, was his country’s chief inspiration as they triumphed in Qatar last winter, scoring seven goals in the tournament.

Haaland, who scored a remarkable 52 goals for treble-winning Manchester City last season, is one of seven players from the successful City side to make the list and is 13/2 in the 2023 Ballon d’Or betting odds.

Former captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is now at Barcelona, another World Cup winner in Julian Alvarez, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Bernardo Silva are the others from City.

England captain Kane is rewarded after scoring 40 goals for club and country before switching Tottenham for Bayern Munich. England team-mates Bellingham, who is now at Real Madrid, and Saka, of Arsenal, also enjoyed strong campaigns.

Other notable Premier League inclusions are Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard.