Bukayo Saka earns first Ballon d’Or nomination as 2023 shortlist announced
The 30-man shortlist is tonight being announced by France Football and the England international has been recognised, joining fellow Gunners players Martin Odegaard on the men’s list as Amanda Ilestedt and Katie Mccabe were named among the best female players in the world.
Saka has twice been nominated for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best male player under the age of 21, but missed out to Barcelona’s production line of young talent both time; Pedri in 2021 and Gavi in 2022.
The 22-year-old is now looking to become the first English player since Michael Owen in 2021 to pick up the award. Only two other Englishman have been recognised; Bobby Charlton in 1966 and Kevin Keegan in 1978 and 1979.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has been nominated for the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, rivaling the likes of Manchester City’s Ederson and Manchester United’s Andre Onana.
More follows.
Men’s nominees (updating list)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt and PSG)
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and Al-Ittihad)
Andre Onana (Inter Milan and Man United)
Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig and Man City)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Rúben Dias (Manchester City)
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Ilkay Gundogan (Man City and Barcelona)
Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Al-Hilal)
Julian Alvarez (Man City)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
Rodri (Man City)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Lionel Messi (PSG and Inter Miami)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Women’s nominees
Khadija Shaw (Man City)
Mapi Leon (Barcelona)
Mary Earps (Man United)
Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
Wendie Renard (Lyon)
Katie Mccabe (Arsenal)
Jill Roord (Wolfsburg and Man City)
Yui Hasegawa (Man City)
Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
Debinha (Kansas City)
Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg)
Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa)
Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai and Man United)
Millie Bright (Chelsea)
Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
Hayley Raso (Man City and Real Madrid)
Amanda Ilestedt (PSG and Arsenal)
Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
Olga Ramona (Real Madrid)
Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
Alba Redondo (Levante)
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
Kadidiatou Diani (Lyon)
Yashin Trophy
Marc Andre Ter Stegen – Barcelona
Thibaut Courtois – Real Madrid
Mike Maignan – AC Milan
Yassine Bounou – Sevilla FC and Al-Hilal
Aaron Ramsdale – Arsenal
Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa
Andre Onana – Manchester United and Inter Milan
Ederson – Manchester City
Brice Samba- RC Lens
Dominik Livakovic – Dinamo Zagreb and Fenerbahce
