Lionel Messi or Erling Haaland? Darren Bent names his choice for 2023 Ballon d'Or

Former Premier League star Darren Bent has backed Lionel Messi to beat Erling Haaland to the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

It goes without saying that the race for this year's Ballon d'Or award has become a two-horse race. Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland lead the 30-man shortlist, thanks to their brilliant performances and achievements over the last couple of months.

When asked who he thinks should go home with the prize next month, Darren Bent told talkSPORT:

“He’s [Lionel Messi] the greatest player of this era. There are arguments about players before but he’s the greatest player I’ve ever watched.”

The interviewer raised the point that the Ballon d'Or is earned over a player's 12-month performance in Europe in a bid to bring Erling Haaland back into consideration. But Bent insisted that Messi should win the award for his amazing exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

“He [Lionel Messi] hasn’t been the best in the past 12 months but in the World Cup he carried his team to the World Cup final. He scored two in the final as well. The moment he lifted that World Cup he was always going to win that Ballon d’Or," he said.

Lionel Messi's exploits at the World Cup speak for themselves. The playmaker led a young Argentina squad to claim the World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first player in history to score in every round of the competition. He finished with an impressive seven goals and three assists in seven games and was honored with the Silver Boot and the Golden Ball.

Erling Haaland, meanwhile, also enjoyed astounding success with Manchester City last season as they won the treble.

The Norwegian was influential as the Cityzens claimed a historic treble, recording 52 goals and nine assists to his name in 53 appearances across all competitions. He topped the goalscoring chart in the Premier League, and the UEFA Champions League, as well as across Europe's top-five leagues.

---

Why Lionel Messi is highly likely to beat Erling Haaland to the 2023 Ballon d'Or

The Argentine is close to clinching his eighth Ballon d'Or

Although Erling Haaland had a better outing at club level last season, Lionel Messi didn't have a bad one. The Argentine won both the Ligue 1 title and the French Super Cup with PSG, contributing 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games across all fronts.

At the World Cup, he shone the brightest and was named the best player at the tournament courtesy of his brilliant performances. Unfortunately, Haaland had nothing to tender for the World Cup as his country Norway didn't even qualify.

It's a known fact that the World Cup carries weight in the Ballon d'Or race every year it holds, and this year will most likely be no exception.