Despite Erling Haaland’s record-breaking Premier League campaign with Manchester City, Lionel Messi is the betting favorite to win the Ballon d’Or award later this year.
Lionel Messi is favorite with the bookmakers to win yet another Ballon d’Or award this year
That is despite Erling Haaland enjoying a record-breaking campaign with Manchester City
According to Odds Checker, Messi is presently valued at -303 (1-3) to win a record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or, the award presented to the world’s finest player of the year in soccer as chosen by coaches, captains, and journalists from around the world.
After scoring 10 goals in his first seven games for the American team, the Argentina captain, who has had an incredible start to his Inter Miami career during the past month, is far ahead of Haaland in the betting odds.
Despite the incredible season he had in England, where he established the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season with 36, Haaland is favored to win his first Ballon d’Or at +760 (38-5) odds.
The Norwegian superstar scored 52 goals overall in 53 games for City, helping Pep Guardiola’s team capture an unprecedented Triple Crown by winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Messi, on the other hand, managed just 21 goals in 41 games for French side PSG until he abruptly left and joined Miami in the summer.
The 36-year-old has already experienced success in America after spurring Inter to victory in the Leagues Cup final last weekend.
Tata Martino’s team is still dead last in the MLS, despite the fact that Messi has played in seven straight League Cup games and has yet to appear.
Despite the fact that the award ceremony, which will be held in Paris on October 30, is still a little over two months away, Haaland is coming off of an incredible season with the Treble winners City.
The two favorites for the Ballon d’Or this year are Messi and Haaland, with Kevin de Bruyne (+5000/50-1) and Rodri (+6600/66-1) of Manchester City coming in second and third, respectively.
Ilkay Gundogan of Barcelona, who led City to the Triple Crown last season before relocating to Spain, is similarly rated at +6600.
The top 10 players include Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Vinicius Jr., and Kylian Mbappe, however with far greater probabilities.
On September 6, the first 30 finalists for the Ballon d’Or 2023 will be revealed.
Prior to Saturday’s Leagues Cup final, Messi acknowledged that his goal for this year is not to add another Ballon d’Or to his resume, but rather to achieve success as a team with Miami.
He assisted with an outstanding long-range goal against Nashville, who eventually tied the score and forced overtime before the game went to penalties.
Before Nashville goalkeeper Elliot Panicco missed the go-ahead penalty kick and handed the Argentine his first championship in US soccer, Messi tucked away his attempt in the shootout.
