LIONEL MESSI is favourite to overtake Cristiano Ronaldo to win his sixth Ballon d’Or ahead of Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Argentinian will be hoping to win the prestigious award for the first time since 2015.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk are the headline names on the Ballon d’Or shortlistCredit: Getty – Contributor
Messi faces tough competition, not only from Ronaldo but van Dijk who has had an outstanding year with Liverpool.
Van Dijk’s boss Jurgen Klopp believes the defender is an obvious choice.
He said: “If you give the Ballon d’Or to the best player of his generation, you give it always to Lionel Messi, that’s how it is.
“If you give it to the best player of last season then it was Virgil van Dijk.
“I don’t know exactly how it will work but that’s how I see it.
“If it’s for the best player, the best player at all, and of all, then it’s Lionel, (but if it is for) best player of last season, (then it’s) Virgil. We will see.”
Jurgen Klopp firmly believes Virgil Van Dijk should win the Ballon d’OrCredit: Getty – Contributor
In August, van Dijk was voted the UEFA Player of the Year while Lionel Messi was named the FIFA Men’s Player of the year last month.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric is the current holder of the trophy after back-to-back victories for Ronaldo.
The centre-back will join Liverpool team-mates Georginio Wijnaldum, Alisson, Roberto Firmino, fowards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold on the shortlist.
The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony in Paris on December 2nd although 888sport has suspended betting on the market after reports emerged that Messi has been confirmed as the winner ahead of next Monday’s ceremony.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
