Jamie Carragher Predicts Lionel Messi Will Pip Virgil van Dijk to the Ballon dOr This Year

Last Updated : 10-Jun-2019 by 90min

Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher believes that Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is still the favourite to lift the ​coveted Ballon d'Or for the sixth time, despite the incredible form of Virgil van Dijk. 

The Liverpool defender, who was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year, played a key role in his team's sixth Champions League trophy after a 2-1 victory over Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. Unfortunately for the centre-back, he was unable to add another winners' medal to his collection at the weekend, as the Dutch lost 1-0 to Portugal in the Nations League final.

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The ex-Liverpool man believes that ​Lionel Messi is still in pole position to land the Ballon d'Or, owing to his successful season with ​Barcelona, and that the failure to secure the Nations League could hold Van Dijk back. 

When speaking on ​Sky Sports, Carragher stated: "I saw he’s gone ahead of Messi in the betting, I’d be thinking Messi, to be honest - very rarely you see a centre-back get that.

“That’s why he’ll be disappointed today [missing out on Nations League]. Obviously, it’s not a World Cup or a Euros but it’s just that nice little trophy for his country. But I think when you win something big, that’s when you really cement yourself at that level and I think he is the best in the world in that position. He’s proven himself. But, Ballon d’Or, I think Messi.”

With the Ballon d'Or' rarely being won by a defender, and Messi's recent domination of the award, it would be a huge achievement if Van Dijk won the award. The last time the trophy was won by a defender was by Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 following his World Cup success with Italy and winning the ​Serie A title with ​Juventus.

Virgil van Dijk

The Italian is one of only two defenders to win the award, with German legend Franz Beckenbauer winning it in 1972 and 1976. 


Source : 90min