The 2023 Ballon d’Or winner has been ‘leaked’ by reliable insider Fabrizio Romano via his X page, and fans are not happy with the alleged decision.
The 2023 Ballon d’Or winner asset to be announced next Monday, the 30th of October, with names such as Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Bukayo Saka, and Mohamed Salah in the running to become the 66th winner of the annual FIFA award.
Despite this, reliable football insider Fabrizio Romano has ‘leaked’ the expected 2023 winner via his X account, and fans are unhappy to hear that seven-time winner Lionel Messi is once again expected to take the mantle.
🚨✨ Leo Messi, expected to win the Ballon d’Or 2023.
Understand all the indications are set to be confirmed but Messi will be the final winner once again.
Official decision to be unveiled Monday night in Paris.
🇦🇷 It will be Messi’s historical 8th Ballon d’Or. pic.twitter.com/v8FWZQdeaR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 25, 2023
Romano tweeted “Understand all the indications are set to be confirmed but Messi will be the final winner once again. Official decision to be unveiled Monday night in Paris. It will be Messi’s historical 8th Ballon d’Or”
The Argentine, whom many consider to be the GOAT, won the coveted award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.
No player has ever won more Ballon d’Ors, with Cristiano Ronaldo being the next on the list with five in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 – whilst the two megastars dominated world football.
If Romano’s information is correct, Messi will take himself one step further above the rest by being the first player to win 8 Ballon d’Or trophies.
Fans however seem to be of the opinion that, with Ronald and Messi respectively having moved on to the Saudi Pro League and the MLS, the award should be given to a player currently making more impact on the world stage.
With the likes of Erling Haaland’s treble-winning season with Man City and Jude Bellingham’s electric form since becoming a Real Madrid player, amongst many other highly in-form players, it could well be argued that there are more deserving nominees for the 2023 title.
One fan tweeted “This is coming from a lifelong Man United fan but Haaland is the real winner!”
Another added “This is embarrassing. I love Messi, but if he wins the Ballon d’Or for this year I think the award will lose much of its remaining credibility.”
Several other commented calling the decision a ‘robbery’, with one fan going as far to say that “football is dead” in response to the alleged 2023 Ballon d’Or winner decision.
We don’t know for sure of course whether Messi will be taking home this year’s trophy just yet, with the official decision being released on Monday at 8pm GMT.
Do YOU think that Messi deserved his 8th Ballon d’Or title? Let us know below! 👇
