According to the latest odds, Liverpool and the Netherlands centre-back, Virgil van Dijk is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or for 2019.
The 27-year-old is likely to provide the main competition to serial winner Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.
Van Dijk is now regarded as one of the finest centre-backs in the world game. His performances at the heart of the Liverpool defence last season were simply imperious.
His displays in the Reds journey to Champions League victory have played a key role in the Dutchman leapfrogging Lionel Messi in the betting.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi scored 51 goals in all competitions in season 2018/19, as Barcelona won La Liga, and of course, suffered defeat against Van Dijk’s Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final.
The Argentinian international still has time to move ahead of the Netherlands international in the betting by helping Argentina to victory at the Copa America.
However, the South American giants have failed to win the Copa America since 1993. The failure to win an international tournament is something that has led to dismissals of Messi’s claims of being the best player to ever grace a football field.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is third in the betting to win the trophy after winning a league title in his third different country with Juventus. The veteran forward also helped his country to win the Nations League. However, he has not enjoyed a fantastic campaign on a personal level.
Messi and Ronaldo have enjoyed a decade battle for the Ballon d’Or, until last year when Croatia’s Luka Modric won the award. Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate helped his national side to the World Cup final, as well as winning the Champions League alongside Ronaldo.
This year’s battle for the Ballon d’Or could be closer than ever. Van Dijk currently has the upper hand. However, if Messi ends his international trophy drought this summer, then that could all change.