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Manchester City midfielder Rodri has reportedly finished sixth in the 2023 Ballon d'Or rankings, with his teammate Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi in the top six.
Messi and Haaland are the two biggest contenders for the prestigious accolade. As per GOAL, the Argentine - who won the FIFA World Cup in 2022 - seems to have beaten Haaland to the award.
Both Messi and Haaland had strong 2022-23 campaigns, with the Argentine bagging seven goals and three assists in his team's World Cup triumph. He also had 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG. Meanwhile, Haaland starred with 52 goals in City's historic treble triumph.
However, he seems to have been pipped by Messi, who's pursuing a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or award. Meanwhile, Rodri - who played a key role in City's treble-winning campaign last season - seems to be in the sixth position.
PSG striker Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior and City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne have reportedly finished behind the top two of Messi and Haaland.
Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or record
Lionel Messi is the most successful player in the history of the Ballon d'Or. The prestigious individual accolade - awarded by France Football - has had 10 multiple winners among 38 overall.
Messi won his first of seven Ballon d'Or awards in 2009 following a stunning sextuple year with Barcelona. The 36-year-old swept the next three editions to become the first four-time Ballon d'Or winner.
He's also only the second one - after Michel Platini (1983-85) - to do a three-peat, and of course the only one to accomplish the four-peat. Messi returned to the top of the Ballon d'Or podium in 2015 after Barca won their second continental treble.
After Cristiano Ronaldo won the next two editions to join Messi as the only two five-time Ballon d'Or winners, the Argentine broke new ground in 2019 with a sixth triumph.
Two years later, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner extended his record by winning a seventh Ballon d'Or award after leading Argentina to Copa America glory. Fast forward two more years, Messi is reportedly on the cusp of an eighth award following Argentina's World Cup win last year.
