2023 Ballon d’Or winners set to receive unique special edition watch
The organisers of the Ballon d'Or award have confirmed that the winners of the 2023 edition of the award will receive special watches. Sponsored by luxury watch brand Purnell for the third straight year, the male and female recipients are set to be given a unique timepiece.
Both watches have been designed with five characteristics in mind: excellence, technique, endurance, velocity and beauty.
Both the watches feature a black titanium case and are reportedly adorned with 800 white diamonds. Labelled as a tourbillon, Purnell have been associated with Ballon d'Or since 2021.
Lionel Messi is expected to take home his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or trophy in Paris on Monday, October 30, beating the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
On the women's side, Barcelona star Alexia Putellas' two-year streak is set to end after she suffered an ACL injury last year. Her teammate Aitana Bonmati looks likely to win this year, with Chelsea's Sam Kerr and Wolfsburg's Alex Popp expected to give her a close run.
Pep Guardiola makes admission on Ballon d'Or race between Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has stated that both Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi are deserving winners of the 2023 Ballon d'Or. When asked who he backed in the race for the prestigious award, he offered his support to both players.
Speaking after his side's 3-0 win over Manchester United, he said (via Fabrizio Romano):
"The Ballon d'Or? I have great affection for both Messi and Haaland. If Messi wins, it will be a fair win because of the World Cup, and if Haaland wins, it will be fair to the season he had. They should give two awards this year, they both deserve to win."
Earlier this month, the Spaniard claimed that there should be two separate awards every year, one for the Argentine superstar and one for the remaining players.
Guardiola said:
"Always I said the Ballon d'Or should be in two sections; one for Messi, then after another one so Haaland should win, yes," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.
"We won the treble, he scored a million goals. The worst season for Messi is the best for the rest of the players. Both deserve it. Realistically I want Haaland to have it cause he helped us achieve what we achieved, I would love it. But Messi won the World Cup."
Multiple outlets have reported that the 36-year-old is set to win his eighth Ballon d'Or, beating the Manchester City striker. He put in some sensational performances in the 2022 World Cup to lead Argentina to victory in the finals.