First for Kylian Mbappe or eighth for Lionel Messi? The Battle for the Golden Ball

• In 2022, the Golden Ball was awarded to Karim Benzema, but in 2023 the winner will probably be one of the Paris Saint-Germain players
• The favorites at the moment are Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Together with their national teams, they advanced to the semi-finals of the World Cup and can face each other in the final
• First, however, Messi must stop Luka Modric and the speeding Croatia, which intends to cause another surprise at the World Cup
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In the previous edition of the Golden Ball, Messi was not even nominated for the award. It was claimed that his transfer to PSG was over. The Argentine’s first season, however, was not as bad as most fans remembered it. He played 34 matches in which he scored 11 goals and recorded 15 assists. He was doing really well individually.

However, the 2022/2023 season started much better. His record is 19 matches, 12 goals and 14 assists. He added four goals and two assists for Argentina at the World Cup. He is one of the best players in a World Cup that will probably be his last. He fights there primarily for the coveted gold, which he lacks in his large collection of trophies, but also for his eighth Golden Ball.

Messi, however, has some really tough opponents. The world championships could be decisive in the fight for this prestigious award. Already in the semi-finals, he will compete with Luka Modric, who will probably also play at the World Cup for the last time. In 2022, the 37-year-old took 9th place in the Golden Ball plebiscite.