Clutching his eighth Ballon d’Or, the football world buzzed: why Messi got Ballon d’Or 2023. It wasn’t luck, nostalgia, or an emotional nod. It was merit — a potent blend of stats, trophies, narrative, and legacy. In this article, KorKick will walk you through exactly how Messi edged out worthy rivals and earned the honor again.
The Ballon d’Or 2023 Format And Stakes

To understand why Messi got Ballon d’Or 2023, we first need the context: in 2023, the award criteria changed. Rather than being judged on a calendar year, the evaluation period aligned with the 2022–23 season, starting August 1, 2022 and ending July 31, 2023.
That change meant that the 2022 World Cup performance, club tournaments (league, cups, continental), and individual numbers all carried weight.
This shift opened the door for a player who had a stellar World Cup cycle — and that’s where Messi’s case got turbocharged.
Also, the voting pool is made up of journalists from across the world — they weigh both narrative and raw performance. In that mix, certain achievements carry symbolic power beyond mere stats.
Messi’s 2022–23 season: silverware, influence, and clutch moments

Messi’s case rested on strong foundations. Let’s see how he built it.
World Cup glory — the ultimate gamechanger
Nothing influenced why Messi got Ballon d’Or 2023 harder than his World Cup performance. Leading Argentina to their third title, Messi scored seven goals across seven matches, matching the tournament’s top scorers (one shy of Mbappé) and also providing three assists. He became the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and final in the same edition.
He was also awarded the Golden Ball (best player of the tournament), making him the only player in history to receive that twice. His influence in Argentina’s clutch moments — often the difference in tight games — gave him an aura that stats alone can’t capture.
Strong club campaign despite challenges
While Messi’s club season at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had ups and downs, it wasn’t devoid of merit:
- He contributed to PSG’s Ligue 1 title in 2022–23.
- In that campaign, he recorded 67 goal contributions across club and country — a tally comparable to Erling Haaland in the same period.
- His consistency, leadership, and ability to deliver in big games kept PSG competitive domestically.
- Though he later transferred to Inter Miami, the award focuses on the prior season.
That mix of domestic success and international dominance formed the backbone of his candidacy.
Legacy, narrative, and symbolic “firsts”
Messi’s Ballon d’Or win wasn’t just about one season. Voters tend to reward enduring greatness, especially when a player overcomes age, context, and narrative arcs. Key narrative factors:
- He became the only player ever to win a Ballon d’Or while playing outside Europe (his 2023 win came after he moved to Inter Miami).
- He extended his record to eight Ballon d’Or titles, further distancing himself.
- His move to MLS added an underdog dimension: could a player playing outside Europe still be crowned best in the world? Messi answered that.
In sum, the narrative of a legend concluding a World Cup-inspired peak made his candidacy resonate in ways raw numbers alone might not.
How Messi beat Haaland — head to head

Erling Haaland posed perhaps the stiffest challenge. Let’s compare them across the most debated dimensions.
Metric | Messi | Haaland |
Ballon d’Or 2023 votes | 462 points (1st place) | 357 points (2nd) |
Goals / contributions | ~67 goal contributions across club + country | Exceptional |
Big tournaments | World Cup winner + Golden Ball | Club treble contender with Manchester City |
Symbolic weight | Legend delivering in World Cup | Phenomenal goal machine in club season |
Narrative / legacy | The ageless icon defying time | New era, force of nature |
Messi won by a margin of 105 points in the voting tally, a solid margin. His World Cup heroics were the difference-maker in the eyes of many voters — Haaland’s club dominance, though spectacular, lacked that global tournament peak.
Critics argued that Haaland’s volume of goals and his role in Manchester City’s success made him a more “modern” candidate. But Messi’s ability to shine on football’s biggest stage tipped the scales toward him.
Common criticisms and counterpoints
No Ballon d’Or decision is without critique. Here are the main counterarguments — and how the Messi camp might answer them.
“He didn’t dominate club season as much”
True: Messi’s club season was not as eye-popping as Haaland’s. But voters often weigh tournament performance more heavily when stakes are high. In 2023, the World Cup was the ultimate stage.
“He benefited from recency and nostalgia bias”
This is always a concern. But Messi’s contributions were concrete, consistent, and in crucial moments. The Golden Ball win and his scoring consistency across all stages gave substance behind the emotional narrative.
“Haaland’s sheer numbers were more impressive”
They were — but volume isn’t enough. Context, consistency, and impact in big games matter. Messi’s delivery on the world stage arguably outweighed pure output in the eyes of voters.
Why the win matters beyond 2023
Winning why Messi got Ballon d’Or 2023 didn’t just add another trophy — it solidified chapters in his legacy:
- He became the only player to win the Ballon d’Or on three continents (Europe, South America, North America).
- He showed that playing outside Europe is not death for elite recognition.
- He closed a cycle: for many fans, this feels like the last Ballon d’Or of his peak era.
- It reaffirmed that, even when entering the twilight of his career, Messi’s clutch performances still swayed global judgment.
Final Thoughts
Why Messi got Ballon d’Or 2023 is a story of timing, excellence, and mythos. He didn’t simply clock stats — he delivered when it mattered most, in the World Cup, and carried a legacy that made that delivery feel inevitable.
Now, KorKick invites you: dive deeper. Explore Messi’s World Cup matches, compare his Ballon d’Or wins over years, and debate with friends whether a younger star might dethrone the legend soon.