After Argentina's World Cup victory, Lionel Messi is expected to earn his eighth Ballon d'Or.

Lionel Messi, a footballing superstar, is expected to win his eighth Ballon d'Or this month after the 2023 male and female prize winners were leaked.

When he guided Argentina to World Cup victory at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Messi, 36, experienced great success.

At the awards event in Paris at the end of October, the former Barcelona player has long been the favorite to win the top honor.

The Argentine's ninth title will increase his record as the prize's most decorated winner, and the 36-year-old will reclaim the Ballon d'Or after it was given to Karim Benzema of Al-Ittihad in 2022.

With his impending victory, he will surpass Cristiano Ronaldo by three points and become the first player to ever play outside of Europe to win the Ballon d'Or.

Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Kylian Mbappe, an ex-teammate from Paris Saint-Germain, were among the 36-year-old's fierce rivals, but he is expected to prevail as a result of his exploits in Qatar.

According to the Spanish media site SPORT, Aitana Bonmati, who was a key player in Spain's thrilling Women's World Cup victory in Australia, would probably win the award for women.

After Spain defeated England in the World Cup final in August, the Barcelona midfielder was voted Player of the Tournament and won the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award in September.

After her teammate and fellow countrywoman Alexia Putellas won the prize the previous year, Bonmati will become the second Barcelona player to win the Ballon d'Or in a row.