The race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or race is all-but over, with some of the world's best footballers having spent the past 11 months vying to succeed 2022 winner Karim Benzema in lifting the Golden Ball in Paris on October 30.
It promised to be a unique Ballon d'Or battle, with the World Cup taking place in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign, meaning it could be a distant memory by the time votes are cast in August. There is no doubt, however, that playing a starring role in Qatar has boosted some players' chances of competing for the Golden Ball, even with domestic and European titles now having been decided.
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Who, then, has put themselves in the frame for the biggest individual honour of them all? Join GOAL as our 12-month Ballon d'Or Power Rankings journey comes to a conclusion...