The 2023 award is in danger of being rocked by allegations of favouritism and daylight robbery because previous events like 2013 and 2010 are still being questioned.
The decision to hold the FIFA World Cup in December may not have been the best one after all.
Lionel Messi remains the front-runner to win a record eighth title when the ceremony goes down sometime in October this year. His World Cup heroics with Argentina have given him a perfect head start.
Second on the list is Kylian Mbappe, who nearly led France to a lone World Cup victory.
All of this occurred prior to Bayern Munich’s merciless elimination of Paris Saint-Germain from the Champions League.
The World Cup dilemma
Even though the Ballon d’Or award is frequently decided by individual merit, the Champions League typically has a significant impact on the outcome.
In the case of a World Cup year, the once-in-four-years competition takes precedence over any other trophy – Luka Modric is a witness.
Questions have already started streaming in on how this year’s award will be determined by a ‘seven-game tournament.’
How can someone who got knocked out in the round of 16 of a competition as important as the Champions League receive the award?
They're gonna give the next Ballon d'Or for 5 penalties in a 7-match tournament and winning a one-team league 😂 pic.twitter.com/90WCXyaKtd
— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) March 8, 2023