Lionel Messi, Emiliano Dibu Martínez, Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez are among the candidates to win the Ballon d’Or, the award crowning the best player of the past season. Lionel Messi is expected to be in contention for the award once the list is shortened to the three finalists. Although he struggled to make an impact with Paris Saint Germain, the 36-year-old captained his country to World Cup glory in Qatar 2022 and was chosen the best player of the tournament. It would be a record-setting eight Ballon d’Or win for Messi, who recently admitted that after winning the World Cup, he doesn’t think much about individual awards. Goalkeeper Dibu Martínez was Argentina’s second most important player in the World Cup.

Source: Bueno Aires Herald September 07, 2023 13:18 UTC