It might not seem that long ago that Karim Benzema was taking home the 2022 Ballon d’Or, but the race for the 2023 award has already gathered a lot of steam.
It promised to be a unique battle for the Ballon d’Or, with the World Cup taking place in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign, meaning it could be a distant memory by the time the votes are cast.
However, there is no doubt that playing a starring role in Qatar has increased the chances of some players to compete for the Ballon d’Or, even with the knockout stages of the Champions League now in full swing.
So who lined up for the biggest individual honor of all, and who has some catching up to do?
