Nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, Antoine Griezmann, essential during the 2022 World Cup for the France team, is not in the top 20 for the individual award. His worst ranking since the start of his career.
Coming very close to the Ballon d’Or in 2016 and 2018 (coming 3rd), Antoine Griezmann is one of the 30 players nominated for the 2023 edition of the individual award awarded by France Football. The suspense was short-lived for “Grizi”, who inherited 21st place, as revealed by the L’Equipe channel on Monday afternoon (before the ceremony from 8:45 p.m.). This is his worst ranking in 5 nominations, since he also placed 18th in 2017 and 2019.
Griezmann, however, is coming off a fairly breathtaking season, having completely relaunched himself with Atlético de Madrid after his two disappointing years at Barça. The 32-year-old left-hander finished as the best decisive passer in La Liga (16 assists) but also 4th top scorer in the championship (15 goals). And this, after having achieved an insane 2022 World Cup with the Blues by always being the leader of Didier Deschamps’ training, in a more complete role than in 2018.
Three other French internationals are named: Kylian Mbappé would be 3rd behind Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, the reigning Ballon d’Or is 16th, while Randal Kolo Muani finishes at the bottom of the ranking, in 28th position, tied with Martin Odegaard and just in front of Ruben Dias. These three players probably did not get any points from the jury (100 international journalists). Last year, Mike Maignan and Christopher Nkunku had zero points.
The rest of the Ballon d’Or 2023 rankings, with 25th to 21st place:
2️⃣1️⃣ Antoine Griezmann
2️⃣2️⃣ Kim Min-jae
2️⃣3️⃣ André Onana
2️⃣4️⃣ Bukayo Saka
2️⃣5️⃣ Josko Gvardiol#ballondor pic.twitter.com/ivQJavSPvl— THE TEAM (@lequipe) October 30, 2023
We know the start of the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, with, from 26th to 30th place:
2️⃣6️⃣ Jamal Musiala
2️⃣7️⃣ Nicolo Barella
2️⃣8️⃣ Randal Kolo Muani
2️⃣8️⃣ Martin Ødegaard
3️⃣0️⃣ Ruben Dias#ballondor pic.twitter.com/FrDlsxYhfq— THE TEAM (@lequipe) October 30, 2023
