The 30-player shortlist for the 2023 Ballon d’Or has been announced and there is a notable omission.
All the talk among Manchester United fans is confusion at Marcus Rashford failing to make the list.
While self-aware enough to recognise Marcus Rashford will not contend with Lionel Messi to win the award, Manchester United supporters believe the England star’s strong season has been overlooked.
Rashford scored 30 goals for United this last season and provided 10 assists. He also struck three goals at the World Cup.
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Manchester United fans not impressed with Rashford omission
One player who is included on the list is Bukayo Saka, who scored one fewer World Cup goal than Rashford. He also scored 15 club goals last season to Rashford’s 30.
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez also makes the shortlist, despite not scoring once in Qatar 2022. He also failed to match Rashford’s club tally.
The omission caused a stir on social media, with one Manchester United fan writing: “There can’t be any explanation from FIFA for omitting Marcus Rashford from that Ballon D’Or list.”
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Another wrote: “No Rashford ??? That’s crazy man,” and a third supporter vented: “No Rashford in Ballon d’or nomination list ohh gosh this is robbery man.”
A fourth comment read: “Marcus Rashford scored more goals last season than Saka and Odegaard combined but you won’t believe who got nominated for the Ballon d’or.”
Rashford will have to use this omission as fuel to come back even better over the next 12 months, and get himself into the mix, in a year which may not be so skewed in favour of some of the World Cup performers, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez making the shortlist.
One Manchester United player did make Ballon d’Or shortlist
There was one Manchester United player who made the 30-man shortlist, with Andre Onana among the nominees.
Onana earned his spot with his performances for Inter Milan on the way to the Champions League final, before clinching his move to United in July.
He is in the mix to win the Yashin Award at the Ballon d’Or gala for the world’s best goalkeeper.