Erling Braut Haaland was historically the first Norwegian to make the top ten in the Gullballen selection.
That prompted Chelsea legend Didier Drogba to joke about Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, who received the Gerd Müller trophy as striker of the year last season.
– It won’t be easy next year, said Drogba with a picture of Haaland in the background.
– The season is still long, sneered Robert Lewandowski who met Haaland several times while both playing in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, respectively.
– I know that a new generation will come, but I still haven’t said the last word, concluded Lewandowski.
ABOVE: Robert Lewandowski, now Barcelona, played last season for Bayern Munich.
Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / Reuters
Haaland has had a great start to the 2022/23 season with 20 goals in 14 games for Manchester City. He is currently the top scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals. Only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah have equaled the Norwegian’s five Champions League goals so far.
However, these achievements were not originally part of the assessment.
City Rage doesn’t count
Unfortunately for Haaland, the criteria for the Ballon d’Or have been changed prior to this year’s award. Instead of judging the calendar year, it’s last season’s achievements that count.
MACHINE OBJECTIVE: Erling Braut Haaland.
Photo: LEE SMITH / Reuters
Jærbuen have not run away with a trophy in the past year, but have been named the best team of the season in the Bundesliga after 22 goals in 24 games for Borussia Dortmund. A total of 29 goals in 30 matches in all competitions
Benzema awarded Ballon d’Or
Real Madrid France forward Karim Benzema (34) wins the Ballon d’Or after a phenomenal season. Erling Braut Haaland (22) was voted number ten in the world.
Veteran striker Benzema was awarded the Ballon d’Or after being named player of the year in Spain’s La Liga and the Champions League after leading Real Madrid to wins in both competitions.
CHILDREN MATCH: Karim Benzema was present with his son Ibrahim. They had put on their make-up for the occasion.
Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / Reuters
Benzema had been nominated for the prestigious award nine times before, but then the Ballon d’Or trophy ended up in the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Luka Modric.
He won the award with Sadio Mané, Robert Lewandowski and Kevin De Bruyne as the closest challengers.
Cristiano Ronaldo – who has won the award five times – finished in 20th place in this year’s voting. Lionel Messi finished outside the top 30 last season. The Argentine has won the Ballon d’Or seven times.
Hegerberg nominated
Ada Hegerberg was among the 20 female players who made the finalists.
The Norwegian and Lyon striker won the Ballon d’Or in 2018. The following year, American Megan Rapinoe won after the US won the World Cup.
On Monday night, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas picked up a second successive trophy.
Hegerberg arrived at the awards ceremony with teammates Selma Bacha and Christiane Endler. None of them ended up among the five finalists.
The Norwegian striker finished in 7th place.
COORATED FOR THE PARTY: Selma Bacha, Ada Hegerberg and Christiane Endler.
Photo: ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
PS! Gavi (Barcelona) won the award for youth players last season and Sadio Mané won the Socrates award for his commitments outside of football. Robert Lewandowski won the Gerd Müller Trophy as the best striker of the 2022/23 season for the second year in a row, while Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) was named the best goalkeeper.
“Infuriatingly humble coffee guru. Travel practitioner. Freelance zombie fanatic. Certified problem solver. Food scholar. Student.”
