Erling Braut Haaland is historically the first Norwegian to be among the top ten in a Gullballen election.
That prompted Chelsea legend Didier Drogba to joke about Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski receiving the Gerd Müller trophy for best striker last season.
– It won’t be easy next year, said Drogba with a photo of Haaland in the background.
– The season is still long, grins Robert Lewandowski, who met Haaland several times while playing in the Bundesliga together for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
– I know that a new generation is coming, but I still haven’t said the last word, concluded Lewandowski.
FORWARD: Robert Lewandowski, now Barcelona, played last season for Bayern Munich.
Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / Reuters
Haaland had a stellar 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 goals in the Champions League so far.
However, these achievements were not originally part of the assessment.
City Rampage doesn’t count
Unfortunately for Haaland, the Ballon d’Or criteria had been changed prior to this year’s award. Instead of the calendar year that counts, it’s the past season’s achievements that count.
GOAL MACHINE: Erling Braut Haaland.
Photo: LEE SMITH/Reuters
Jærbuen hasn’t run away with a trophy in the past year, but is in the Bundesliga’s team of the season after scoring 22 goals in 24 games for Borussia Dortmund. In total, there were 29 goals in 30 matches in all competitions
Benzema was awarded the Ballon d’Or
Real Madrid’s France forward Karim Benzema (34) walked away with the Ballon d’Or after a phenomenal season. Erling Braut Haaland (22) was voted tenth 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 victory in both competitions.
MATCHES WITH CHILDREN: Karim Benzema was in attendance with his son Ibrahim. They had put on their jewelery for the occasion.
Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / Reuters
Benzema has been nominated nine times for the prestigious award, 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 competitors.
Cristiano Ronaldo – who has won the award five times – finished 20th 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 was nominated
Ada Hegerberg was among the 20 female players who entered the final.
The Norwegian and Lyon striker won the Ballon d’Or in 2018. The following year, American Megan Rapinoe won after the US’s World Cup triumph.
On Monday night, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas picked up her 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 7th.
DECORATIONS FOR PARTIES: Selma Bacha, Ada Hegerberg and Christiane Endler.
Photo: ALAIN JOCARD/AFP
PS! Gavi (Barcelona) won the youth award last season and Sadio Mané won the Socrates award for his commitment outside of football. Robert Lewandowski won the Gerd Müller Trophy as the best striker for the 2022/23 season for the second year in a row, while Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) was named the best goalkeeper.
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