3 players who could pip Lionel Messi to the Ballon d'Or award this year

#1 Virgil van Dijk

Van Dijk recently won the UEFA Best Player award

This defender is the one to really look out for when it comes to choosing the one who takes home the most prestigious individual award this year. The Dutchman was a part of the Liverpool team that dumped Messi’s Barcelona out of the Champions League.

The Dutchman's sturdy defensive duties during the term were paramount as Liverpool pushed for the Premier League title, and if not for a string of poor performances against smaller clubs, they could have won it. Nevertheless, the defender is not without a trophy to show for. He won the Champions League title with The Reds, and also inspired his Dutch team to the final of the European Nations League, where they lost to Ronaldo's Portugal.

Van Dijk finished second behind Messi in the running for the FIFA The Best award recently, and he will surely offer serious competition to the Argentine for the Ballon d'Or once again. If anyone could beat Messi to the accolade, it'd surely be van Dijk.