10 Surprising Revelations: Ballon d'Or Rankings Review

But to be fair, when is it ever anything different? Final rankings have been published, and to an extent, placements are as expected. However, there are also some surprising placements on the list that have set the sports world buzzing
In this post, you’ll discover some of the most surprising additions, omissions, and placements on the 2023 Ballon d’Or list. Let’s get right into it.
In every sportsbetting comparison Germany, Osimhen was expected to rank very high on the Ballon d’Or list. However, it’s almost sure that no one expected the prolific Nigerian forward to break into the top ten in the rankings. Then again, if you compare the numbers he pulled across Europe’s top-flight leagues, it hardly seems undeserving.
For context’s sake, Osimhen was Serie A’s top scorer last season, and in Europe, only Lacazette, Mbappé, Kane, and Haaland outscored Napoli’s talismanic striker the previous season. He also played an integral part in Napoli’s Scudetto charge and eventual win.
Apparently, Julián Álvarez has always been an outstanding player. However, Europe didn't fully appreciate just how good he is until last season when he broke into the limelight. Firstly, it was his impressive performances during Argentina’s World Cup-winning charge.
Then he did it again with Manchester City, supplying crucial goals as City pipped Arsenal to the PL trophy. Some people thought that Julián Álvarez was overrated; however, a no. 7 Ballon d’Or ranking says otherwise.
Yassine Bounou was yet another World Cup revelation of last season. Primarily entrusted with keeping the ball out of the net for Saudi club Al Hilal, Bounou became a sensation overnight. During the World Cup, Yassine Bounou’s heroics played a significant part in Morocco's impressive performance in the competition.
What makes his inclusion surprising and unique is the fact that at a No. 13 spot, Bounou ranked higher than every other goalkeeper.
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s “Golden Boy,” placed 24 on the Ballon d’Or rankings, a pretty impressive feat for a 22-year-old. To be fair, Saka was very impressive for Arsenal last season, and he did score a lot of crucial goals for club and country.
Despite this, few expected this young talent to break into the Ballon d’Or rankings. Well… surprise, surprise! Arsenal didn’t win the PL last season, and England also crashed out of the World Cup. However, without a doubt, Bukayo Saka was one of the shining lights of last season and a joy to watch.
If you thought an Arsenal player on the Ballon d’Or rankings was surprising, try two! It seems only yesterday that Odegaard was picked up from his boyhood club in Norway. Now, however, it all seems to be falling into place for the young Norwegian.
If Saka was a scorer of great goals last season, Odegaard was the engine behind Arsenal’s impressive performance last season.
Usually, we’re used to seeing Karin’s name way up on the Ballon d’Or list, but this year there was a shocker. Karim, traditionally ranked in the top 5-10 on the list, came in at 16 this time around. However, with just 19 league goals, 3 assists, and 4 goals in the CL, he didn’t really hit the highs of previous seasons.
Still, without a doubt, this was an impressive haul more than worthy of his final No. 16 placement. This could very well be the last time you see Karim Benzema on the Ballon d’Or list since he has left Madrid.
It was something of a shock to many that there were three goalies in the top 30 Ballon d’Or rankings, and famous names were missing. There’s no Courtois, Neuer, or even Oblak. Instead, we have Emiliano Martínez.
Now, make no mistake, Martinez’s place on the Ballon d’Or list is totally justified. He made several amazing saves, including penalties, to help Argentina to the World Cup trophy. At club level, Martinez also made many high-profile saves to help Aston Villa finish in the top half of the table.
That said, not many expected Martinez to finish higher than big names like Lautaro, Griezmann, and even Musiala.
This was perhaps one of the most shocking revelations of the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings. Harry Kane was one of Europe’s top scorers last season, with only Erling Haaland scoring more than him in the league.
Kane’s goal-scoring antics have already earned him a fearsome reputation as one of the strikers most defenses dread facing. Amazingly, this is a reputation he keeps feeding year after year, with ridiculous goal tallies. Yet after everything, Harry Kane was only ranked 19 on the Ballon d’Or list, with even Benzema and Kvaratskhelia ranking higher.
It’s not every time to see a midfielder rank high on the Ballon d’Or list, so at no. 5, Rodri’s ranking certainly is impressive. It becomes even more remarkable when you consider that he placed well ahead of names like Salah, Lewandowski, and even Benzema. This is a testament to the midfielder’s impressive performance last season.
Last season, Rodri’s impact, especially on City’s title-winning run, was quite evident. When he wasn’t available to play, City usually dropped valuable points. But when he came back into the team, the change was immediately apparent, thanks to better midfield domination.
If you need reminding that an era of soccer is gradually ending, consider the best question. Did you know that this is the first time in years Ronaldo won’t feature anywhere in the Ballon d’Or list? The absence of this name anywhere on the Ballon d’Or list is so loud that it’s a noteworthy mention. The end of an era indeed.
So, there you have it, ten surprises the 2023 Ballon d’Or had in store for soccer lovers. Football is a game of surprises, and they just never seem to end. But that’s precisely what makes it such a great sport.