Ballon d’Or: Kylian Mbappe strongly tipped to win award ahead of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland

Kylian Mbappe deserves to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or prize ahead of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, according to Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.

While France fell short in the World Cup final against Messi's Argentina, Mbappe emerged as the tournament's top scorer. Additionally, during the 2022-23 season, he impressively netted 41 goals for PSG.

As a result of these accomplishments, Hakimi believes that Mbappe's outstanding performances in the year under review make him a strong contender to secure a place on the podium for the Ballon d'Or award.

"Compared to what he did this last year, for me, he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or. He's a great player, and I hope he can win it this year,": Hakimi told beIN Sports France as quoted by GOAL.

However, the Frenchman, who suffered an injury in PSG's crunch Ligue 1 tie with Olympique Marseille on Sunday, will face formidable competition from Messi and Haaland, who are considered frontrunners for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

Messi, the Argentine maestro, achieved the distinction of being the first player in MLS history to receive a Ballon d'Or nomination. His victory in the World Cup in Qatar last year provides him with a slight edge over the prolific Norwegian goal scorer, per Eurosport.

Following Messi closely is Haaland, who also impressively tallied 56 goals in his debut season with Manchester City, contributing to the club's historic treble.