Ranked! The Top 5 Favourites for the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award 2023

FIFA has released a 12-man shortlist for the 2023 The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, which honours the most outstanding player in a set period of time.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi have been nominated alongside Kylian Mbappe, Victor Osimhen, Declan Rice, Kevin de Bruyne, and Rodri.

According to GOAL, Messi is the headline nominee for the 2023 Best Men's Player award, but the 2022 World Cup winner is up against the likes of Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen is the sole nominee from Africa while Arsenal’s Declan Rice has also been nominated for the prestigious award for his exploits with West Ham after winning the Europa Conference League.

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Player performances from December 19, 2022, until August 20, 2023, will be considered this time around, with voting for The Best Awards closing on October 6.

Here, Sports Brief, with the help of Sportskeeda ranks the list of the top five favourite players to win the prestigious award.

5. Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)

In the 2022-23 season, Kevin De Bruyne scored 10 goals and gave 31 assists in 49 appearances for Manchester City across all competitions.

His exceptional technical abilities and vision were vital in City's ascension to the pinnacle of European club football, as they won the treble for the first time in their history.

4. Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe enjoyed an outstanding domestic season. In the 2022-23 season, he was on fire for both club and nation, finishing the season as the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 28 goals.

Mbappe led PSG to the Ligue 1 title last season, scoring 41 goals and providing 10 assists in 43 matches across all competitions.

3. Rodri (Spain/Manchester City)

Since his arrival at Manchester City in the summer of 2019, Rodri has excelled in his role at the heart of their midfield. The Spaniard seamlessly combines his physical prowess, technical finesse, astute game-reading abilities and tactical acumen and is an absolute stalwart in the centre of the pitch.

He was influential for both City and Spain last season, playing a critical role in the former's continental treble and the latter's UEFA Nations League triumph.

2. Lionel Messi (Argentina/Inter Miami)

Lionel Messi is the odds-on favourite to win a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or this year, but he is not so much in the race for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award, owing to his performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup not being evaluated this year.

Messi won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain and the League Cup with Inter Miami during the current season, while the Argentina striker also scored 21 goals and supplied 20 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for PSG in the 2022-23 season.

1. Erling Haaland (Norway/Manchester City)

With the 2022 FIFA World Cup out of the picture, Erling Haaland is set to beat over his competition for the prized Best FIFA Men's Player Award this year. In the 2022-23 season, Haaland was simply outstanding for Manchester City.

In 53 games for the Cityzens in all competitions, he scored 52 goals and supplied 11 assists. Last season, Haaland earned both the Premier League Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe.

Why Messi will beat Haaland to 2023 Ballon d’Or

Earlier, Sports Brief reported the 2023 Ballon d'Or debate got into full swing following the conclusion of the European season, after the UEFA Champions League final on June 10.

Manchester City's win over Inter Milan saw the end of an action-packed season, which essentially means players eyeing the Ballon d'Or award could not do anything else to affect their chances.

Lionel Messi was believed to making a beeline for a record-extending eighth title after he led Argentina to a World Cup victory in December last year.