Manchester City is the new king of Europe, while also dominating all front in England, the question now pops up, is their star striker now in pole position to pick the World's best player award.
This post outlines top 5 latest Ballon d'or rankings.

5. Kevin De Bruyne ( Manchester City)
Prev. Position 5th
Trophies. UCL, EPL and FA cup
Individual contributions. 10goals, 32 assist,

Thirty-two assists! De Bruyne truly is the best playmaker of his generation, and the way he has rounded into form over the course of the season has been key to City hitting the heights they have over the past couple of months.

His injury luck in Champions League finals may no be the best, but at least the Belgian finished on the winning side this time to finally get his hands on the European Cup.

4. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Prev. Position 4th
Trophies. Club world cup, Copa del rey, UEFA super cup
Individual contributions. 24goals, 25 assist

Given everything that Vinicius has had to put up with from opposition fans in Spain this season, his form has been superb, with it now confirmed that he is among that small group that can be dubbed world-class.

Falling short in the Champions League will likely mean he misses out on the Ballon d'Or podium this time around, but everything about the Brazilian profiles as a future winner of the award.

3. Kylian Mbappe ( PSG)
Prev. Position 3rd
Trophies. Ligue 1, Trophee des Champions
Individual contribution 53 goals 14 assist
Achievement. World cup 2022 Golden Boot

There are some that believe Vinicius or one of Man City's midfielf stars deserve to finish ahead of Mbappe in the final Ballon d'Or rankings, so let's lay out while we still have him in third place...

He has scored over 50 goals for club and country, won yet another league title, and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup after SCORING A HAT-TRICK IN THE FINAL.

2. Ealing Haaland ( Manchester City)
Prev. Position 2nd
Trophies. UCL, EPL, FA cup
Individual contribution 53 goals, 9 assist
Achievement. EPL best player, UCL golden boot(Higest goal Scorer)

Haaland has broken countless records over the course of the season, and there was a time in late April that it seemed inevitable he would move to the top of the Ballon d'Or rankings come the end of the campaign.

However, a run of just one goal in his final eight games means he will likely come up short in 2023, even though it was his goals that played a massive role in City winning the treble.

1. Lionel Messi ( Inter Miami )
Prev. Position 36
Trophies. FIFA World cup, Ligue 1, Trophee des Champions.
Individual contribution. 38 goals, 25 assist.
Achievement. World cup Golden ball (best player), FIFA best player, and others.

Messi did his best to throw an eighth Ballon d'Or away with his stuttering form during the second half of the season, but in the end his iconic World Cup win is likely to be enough to earn him yet another Golden Ball.

With it now more likely than ever that he is done with European football, though, does it mean it will be his eighth and final win of the award?

Source : https://www.goal.com/en-ng/lists/ballon-dor-2023-power-rankings/blt51e9eccbef548b72#cs2b89f3769dac96ed

Messiless Messi all the way, 8 Ballon D`or Loading.

valETA1:
Manchester City is the new king of Europe, while also dominating all front in England, the question now pops up, is their star striker now in pole position to pick the World's best player award.
This post outlines top 5 latest Ballon d'or rankings.

5. Kevin De Bruyne ( Manchester City)
Prev. Position 5th
Trophies. UCL, EPL and FA cup
Individual contributions. 10goals, 32 assist,

Thirty-two assists! De Bruyne truly is the best playmaker of his generation, and the way he has rounded into form over the course of the season has been key to City hitting the heights they have over the past couple of months.

His injury luck in Champions League finals may no be the best, but at least the Belgian finished on the winning side this time to finally get his hands on the European Cup.

4. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Prev. Position 4th
Trophies. Club world cup, Copa del rey, UEFA super cup
Individual contributions. 24goals, 25 assist

Given everything that Vinicius has had to put up with from opposition fans in Spain this season, his form has been superb, with it now confirmed that he is among that small group that can be dubbed world-class.

Falling short in the Champions League will likely mean he misses out on the Ballon d'Or podium this time around, but everything about the Brazilian profiles as a future winner of the award.

3. Kylian Mbappe ( PSG)
Prev. Position 3rd
Trophies. Ligue 1, Trophee des Champions
Individual contribution 53 goals 14 assist
Achievement. World cup 2022 Golden Boot

There are some that believe Vinicius or one of Man City's midfielf stars deserve to finish ahead of Mbappe in the final Ballon d'Or rankings, so let's lay out while we still have him in third place...

He has scored over 50 goals for club and country, won yet another league title, and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup after SCORING A HAT-TRICK IN THE FINAL.

2. Ealing Haaland ( Manchester City)
Prev. Position 2nd
Trophies. UCL, EPL, FA cup
Individual contribution 53 goals, 9 assist
Achievement. EPL best player, UCL golden boot(Higest goal Scorer)

Haaland has broken countless records over the course of the season, and there was a time in late April that it seemed inevitable he would move to the top of the Ballon d'Or rankings come the end of the campaign.

However, a run of just one goal in his final eight games means he will likely come up short in 2023, even though it was his goals that played a massive role in City winning the treble.

1. Lionel Messi ( Inter Miami )
Prev. Position 36
Trophies. FIFA World cup, Ligue 1, Trophee des Champions.
Individual contribution. 38 goals, 25 assist.
Achievement. World cup Golden ball (best player), FIFA best player, and others.

Messi did his best to throw an eighth Ballon d'Or away with his stuttering form during the second half of the season, but in the end his iconic World Cup win is likely to be enough to earn him yet another Golden Ball.

With it now more likely than ever that he is done with European football, though, does it mean it will be his eighth and final win of the award?

Source : https://www.goal.com/en-ng/lists/ballon-dor-2023-power-rankings/blt51e9eccbef548b72#cs2b89f3769dac96ed