Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland are said to be leading the 2023 Golden Ball race, but there is still another name that is equally worthy.
It was no surprise to find Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez among the candidates for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award when the list was published by France Football magazine on September 6. This is because Alvarez has achieved a lot in the 2022/23 season.
There is no doubt that the Argentine international has a great chance of winning the Golden Ball when the ceremony takes place at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris (France), on October 30 for the following reasons…
Historic treble with Man City
Alvarez won a historic treble with Manchester City and since signing for the Premier League giants in January 2022 for 21.4 million Euros, he has become a real asset. Harmful and full of surprises in Pep Guardiola’s squad.
The player born in 2000 is not an expensive contract for The Citizens, so he is less exposed to pressure from the media and quickly adapts to the new environment. Alvarez played an important role in Man City’s attack last season with 17 goals and 5 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions, including several goals that helped Man Xanh win the title. Very important victories.
Second only to Erling Haaland, Alvarez really thrived as a goalscorer for Man City in the 2022/23 season even though he played 26 matches as a substitute and only started 23 matches.
While Haaland is undoubtedly the club’s star striker, Alvarez has proven himself to be the perfect backup for City as he is capable of playing in the Norwegian’s position or on either wing. and even drop deep to play the ball.
The aura of the World Cup is indispensable
In addition to the great treble in the Man City shirt, Julian Alvarez also became a key factor of the Argentina team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
In total, the striker appeared in 7 matches at the prestigious tournament in Qatar, scored 4 impressive goals and helped La Albiceleste lift the prestigious gold medal for the first time since 1988, when he was not even born.
If the Golden Ball’s criteria were simply collective achievements, Alvarez would top this ranking because no player in the world won more trophies than him last year.
Records Julian Alvarez set in the 2022/23 season
In Man City’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla in November 2022, Alvarez became the youngest Argentine player to directly participate in 3 goals in a Champions League match when he scored one goal and contributed 2 assists. created when he was only 22 years and 275 days old. This helps Alvarez surpass his senior, Lionel Messi, who achieved the same achievement for Barcelona in 2009.
Thanks to Rodrigo’s second-half strike in the Champions League final to seal a 1-0 victory over Inter, Alvarez joined the list of players who have won both the World Cup and the European Cup in the same season ( Only 10 players have achieved this achievement).
But the numbers didn’t stop there for the 23-year-old as he became the first player to win the treble and the World Cup in one season.
Only six Premier League players have scored more goals in all competitions than Alvarez in the 2022/23 season as he proved that he needs to be more than just a substitute for Man City in the future.
