Ballon d'Or 2019: Ranking the top five favorites - August 2019

#1 Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool)

Van Dijk helped Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League trophy

It is amazing the difference that 18 months and the arrival of one man can do to the fortunes of a football club.

By this time two years ago, Liverpool had won plenty of admirers for their brilliant style of play, but many also expressed reservations about The Reds becoming genuine title contenders owing to their shaky defense.

Loose passes, goalkeeper gaffes, miscommunication between defenders, slack marking but to name few; these were all hallmarks of Liverpool's defense, as their backline failed to inspire any sort of confidence whatsoever, with the result being that their results more often than not resembled cricket score lines.

The Merseysiders couldn't buy a clean sheet if their life depended on it and moving forward, Jurgen Klopp knew this was an issue to address.

It was why he sanctioned the purchase of Virgil van Dijk for the record-breaking sum of £75m in January 2018 and despite initial snickers about the Dutchman being too expensive, no one would be complaining now.

After starring in his first half-season with the club, the 27-year-old exploded to life last season, serving as the lynchpin of a side that conceded just 21 goals all season to post the best defensive record in the league.

Van Dijk was only behind Jorginho for most passes in the league with 3,037, while he also attempted 38 tackles with a 74% success ratio and made 40 interceptions.

Furthermore, of the 322 duels he contested, he came out successful in 244, while he also had 199 clearances and made 193 recoveries.

His efforts in Liverpool's record-breaking campaign saw him named PFA Player of the Year, and he also starred by captaining the Netherlands to the final of the Nations League.

Van Dijk inspired both Liverpool and Netherlands with his positioning, awareness and excellent reading of the game, and for these, he is firmly positioned to become only to fourth defender and fist since Cannavaro in 2006 to win the Ballon d'Or.