Messi or Haaland? The Race for the 2023 Ballon d’Or

By Lucas Roseman

Messi secured his record eighth Ballon d’Or on October 31st, however, it didn’t come without some controversy with many claiming Haaland was the righteous recipient. So, who truly deserved it- Messi or Haaland? The Ballon d’Or voting period extends from August 1, 2022, to July 31st, 2023. The criteria on which the Ballon d’Or is ranked are individual performance, vital role in the team and honors, and classy on-field behavior. It was a truly historic season for Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker. Haaland scored a record-breaking 36 goals in the Premier League and won the Champions League, FA Cup, and the Premier League, securing the illustrious treble. He ended with 56 goals, 10 assists, and 11 MOTMs winning the PFA POTY, the Golden Boot, and the UCL Top Scorer. On the other hand, Lionel Messi put on a show internationally. In December, Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, putting on a Maradona-esque performance with 7 goals and 3 assists in the tournament. Messi became the only player to win the MOTM in every round of the World Cup. He scored a brace in the finals, including the go-ahead goal in extra time. When the game went to penalties, Messi stepped up yet again for his team, cooly slotting the first penalty past Lloris. Messi went home with the MOTM in the World Cup Final and the World Cup Golden Ball. In club play with PSG, Messi had 16 goals and 16 assists, winning Ligue 1 and gaining a spot in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. Messi ended his final season in Europe the same way he began it- on top. His awards included FIFA The Best, Laureus World Sportsman, and IFFHS Best Playmaker. However, Messi’s PSG did come up short in the Champions League, with an early exit in the Round of 16 whereas Haaland and Manchester City won it. However, how much of a “vital role” did Haaland play in their success? Haaland racked up 15 goals in the Champions League, yet most of those goals came in the group stage, including 5 goals in a 7-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig, tying Lionel Messi’s for most goals in a Champions League match. Haaland’s teammate Rodri won the Champions League Player of the Season over him, scoring the winning goal in the final. In each final Manchester City played last season, Haaland failed to record a goal or an assist and didn’t get a match rating above 7.0. Haaland is a serial goalscorer, but he needs world-class service to be successful. In the games where he isn’t on the receiving end of a Kevin de Bruyne cross or a Gundogan through ball, he is ineffective. He barely contributes to the build-up play and doesn’t make an impact on the game if he fails to score. On the contrary, Messi was the best playmaker in the world last season, racking up 26 assists.

Furthermore, Messi also remained the best dribbler in the world, averaging 3.2 dribbles per game just behind Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. On top of all that, Messi was very effective in front of goal and outside of the box, scoring 41 goals, and scoring them when his team needed it most. Messi ended with 67 g/a trumping Haaland’s 66 g/a. The reality is Lionel Messi has almost gotten better with age, winning 3 Ballon d’Ors and 2 Golden Boots after the age of 30, and tweaking his playstyle to suit his fading acceleration and speed. Ultimately, an aging 35-year-old Lionel Messi was the best player in the world yet again, a long 13 years after he first burst onto the scene and won his first Ballon d’Or. Messi refused to pass the torch down to Haaland, Mbappe, and the rest of the younger generation of football stars just yet. Though, with him now vacationing in Miami and directing his wrath onto the MLS, maybe someone else will be able to win one.