Ballon d'Or 2019: Top 5 Contenders from the Premier League

Modified Jul 22, 2022 23:43 GMT

Will the Ballon d'Or come home to the Premier League this year?

#1 Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Liverpool FC v Watford FC - Premier League

Despite the fact that the Netherlands lost in the finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League, Virgil van Dijk's stocks continue to rise in the world of football. He is perhaps, the best central defender in the world right now, which makes him one of the contenders for the coveted award.

The Dutchman has already won the PFA Player of the Year and is a top contender for the 2019 Ballon d'Or. van Dijk's rise in the football world has been meteoric, but it is his impact at both club and country level that makes him the front-runner for the Ballon d'Or.

The Dutchman joined Liverpool in January 2018 and immediately made an impact in the team. The faulty Liverpool defense found a leader and a personality who changed the mentality of the team. On the field, van Dijk is as close to a perfect central defender as one can get. He is not rash yet stellar at the back, he has pace to burn and is dominating on the ground and in the air.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the last player from the Premier League to win the Ballon d'Or. Virgil van Dijk could repeat that feat this year and he certainly is the best bet that the league has had in over a decade.

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Edited by Akarshak (Ishu) Roy