The Ballon d’Or race will be discussed over the next few weeks as the award will be given soon. After winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi would be the leading candidate for the honor. However, it’s not for Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot.
Rabiot spoke with RMC Sport and the French media outlet and asked the midfielder who should lift the award; he doesn’t have the Argentine as the favorite. For the Frenchman, it’s a battle that should be between Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé.
“I hear a lot that it’s Messi who is going to get it,” Rabiot said. “But on a sporting level, it will be played between Mbappé and Haaland. (…) It will be between those two (Mbappé & Haaland). I exclude the others (laughs).”
Adrien Rabiot on his favorite for the Ballon d’Or: “I hear a lot that it’s Messi who is going to get it. But on a sporting level, it will be played between Mbappé and Haaland. (…) It will be between those two (Mbappé & Haaland). I exclude the others (laughs). 🗣️🇫🇷 @RMCsport pic.twitter.com/TQoISkmPAV
— PSG Report (@PSG_Report) October 10, 2023
It will be interesting to see France Football’s criteria when handing out the Ballon d’Or this year. Haaland did win the UEFA Champions League last season, so it’s a trophy that might give him the upper hand on Mbappé.
Nonetheless, the World Cup trophy from Messi might be too much to overlook as he also had good numbers during the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season. Will that be enough for the 36-year-old to claim the award, or will his decision to leave for Inter Miami hurt him?
