Lionel Messi is expected to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or, extending his record for the most awards to eight. The Argentine led his country to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and helped PSG win the Ligue 1 title in 2022/23 before moving on to the MLS, joining Inter Miami.

The forward helped them win their first piece of silverware in the Leagues Cup within his first few games, and is now set to be rewarded with the Golden Ball once again. The decision will soon be official at the Ballon d’or ceremony, where a number of other awards will also be given to coaches, teams and players.

Ballon d’Or 2023 winner revealed: Lionel Messi tipped to win record 8th title

The closest competitor Lionel Messi had this season was Erling Haaland, with many favouring the striker to win instead. At 22, he broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season by scoring 36 in 35 games.

He also went on to score 12 goals in 11 Champions League games as Manchester City won the title for the first time, alongside the Premier League and FA Cup, completing the treble.

But in spite of all these achievements, it wasn’t enough to trump Messi’s outstanding performance at the Qatar World Cup. And now, it seems that the Norwegian will finish second in the rankings as the Argentina captain lifts the award for an eighth time in his unparalleled career.