Arsenal duo Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka nominated for 2023 Ballon d’Or award

Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard and forward Bukayo Saka have both made the 30-man nomination list for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award following their brilliant individual campaigns with the North Londoners last term.

The Gunners stars made the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and were also nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, with Saka winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award, the England’s Men’s Player of the Year award and Young Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.

Odegaard won the Player of the Year at the London Football Awards and also emerged as Arsenal Player of the Season.

The Norwegian international ended last term with 15 goals and seven assists in 37 Premier League games and has weighed in with two goals in four league games so far this season.

Saka bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in 38 Premier League games in 2022-23 and has scored twice and assisted once in four games already in the new term.

HERE ARE ALL THE BALLON D'OR NOMINEES! 🌕✨#ballondor pic.twitter.com/hg1ZByzhDV

— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) September 6, 2023

The Arsenal duo have been nominated alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Manchester United’s Andre Onana, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol, Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri in the Premier League.

Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, Kim Min-jae and Harry Kane have been nominated from the Bundesliga, while Serie A is represented by Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen and Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric, Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann have been nominated from the La Liga, with the Ligue 1 represented by Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani and Kylian Mbappe.

There are nominations outside of Europe, with current holder and Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, Al Hilal’s Yassine Bounou and seven-time winner and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi also making the list.

The awards will take place on October 30 in Paris, with Messi, De Bruyne and Halaand favourites to make the top three.