5 players who can beat Lionel Messi to the Ballon d'Or this year

#3 Virgil van Dijk

It is rare to see defenders challenging for top football awards nowadays but it appears Liverpool center-back, Virgil van Dijk just won't leave the spotlight. The Dutchman deserves some praise for scaring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the battle for major awards last season and even managing to beat the iconic duo to the UEFA Best Player award.

He is not slowing down. He has returned with amazing performances this season, showing his class from the heart of the defense as Liverpool keep their eyes on making history in the Premier League. The Reds have conceded just 15 goals in the English top flight so far and they have van Dijk to thank for providing solidity at the back and raising the level of his co-defenders.

With Liverpool already having the look of champions in the Premier League and the Dutchman playing a pivotal role in the team's charge for success, he surely has a good chance to claim the Ballon d'Or this season. If they can manage to defend the Champions League, that chance would increase drastically.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by rehaan díaz