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The 64th edition of the Ballon d'Or is almost upon us. And as expected, the attention of fans has turned to debates over who merits the award the most.
The Ballon d'Or is unarguably the most prestigious individual accolade in the game of football. It identifies the best professional footballer in the world, and some of the most illustrious players throughout history have won it.
The players are judged by their performance over the preceding year, with select journalists as well as national team captains and coaches all judging with weighted votes. Given the distinguished nature of the award, the Ballon d'Or is usually a keenly contested affair - and the 2019 edition will be no different.
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With just under two months to go until the winner is announced, let's do a rundown of the top five favorites for the award at the start of November.
#5 Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona / The Netherlands)
Frenkie de Jong followed the well-trodden path of many of his compatriots when he joined Barcelona from Ajax. But it was his performance which prompted the move that is worthy of praise.
The 22-year-old was the figurehead of an Ajax midfield that defied all expectations by making it to the semifinal of the Champions League, defeating heavyweights like Ajax and Juventus along the way.
The 'Sons of the Gods' also edged out bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven in a keenly contested race to win their first Eredivisie title in five years. They added another triumph in the KNVB Beker Cup to win a domestic double for the first time since 2002.
De Jong impressed with his displays from the middle of the park. It was his incredible performances that prompted Barcelona to shell out €75m for his services in January 2019.
The Dutch international possesses all the requisite skills to be an effective Barcelona midfielder. He has settled down seamlessly at the Camp Nou, playing an important role as the Catalans attempt to succeed on all fronts this season.
Also check out:Champions league top scorers Champions League Schedule La Liga Table
#4 Sadio Mane (Liverpool / Senegal)
Sadio Mane has been a rare gem right from his days with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and Southampton in the Premier League. But it is under Jurgen Klopp's management at Liverpool that he has been catapulted into global prominence.
The German tactician's energy-pressing system of play matches well with Mane's skillset. And the Senegalese international has grown from strength to strength at Anfield, complemented by a fearsome front three also including Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Last season Mane played a key role in Liverpool's Champions League success. He also contributed 22 goals as The Reds pushed Manchester City till the last day in an intense Premier League battle.
Mane's tally was enough to see him jointly win the Premier League Golden Boot alongside strike partner Salah and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in what was an all-African affair.
So far this season, the 27-year-old has continued from where he left off and has weighed in with five goals and one assist. He has also won crucial match-winning penalties in very tense games against Leicester City and Tottenham to help Liverpool maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus / Portugal)
With five Ballon d'Or wins, Cristiano Ronaldo is the joint-most successful player in the history of the awards. But that has not stopped his quest for adding to his impressive tally.
In keeping with his unparalleled drive and motivation, the Portuguese international left the comforts and familiarity of Real Madrid and LaLiga for a new challenge with Juventus in the summer of 2018 despite having turned 33 earlier in the year.
With the Bianconeri, the Madeira native won the requisite Serie A title but fell short elsewhere, much to the disappointment of fans of the club. Their elimination from the Champions League was particularly gut-wrenching.
It was for his Champions League performances that he was signed to end Juventus' long wait for European glory. But despite falling short, Ronaldo still did his utmost and put in one of the all-time great individual performances when he scored a hat-trick to help eliminate Atletico Madrid.
There was also success on the international scene, with the former Manchester United man scoring a 53rd career hat-trick to help fire Portugal to a maiden UEFA Nations League title. Another hat-trick followed in September as Portugal thumped Lithuania in the qualification series for Euro 2020.
So far this season, Ronaldo has scored five goals and assisted once as Juventus seek to make it nine domestic titles on the trot.
#2 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool / The Netherlands)
Virgil van Dijk had a spectacular first full season with Liverpool. He was an integral part of what turned out to be the meanest defense in the league, conceding just 22 goals and keeping 21 clean sheets.
These are numbers that would hardly have been believed few years before his arrival. To say that Van Dijk was one of the cornerstones in the transformation of Liverpool's defense would be stating the painfully obvious.
The Dutch international had remarkable numbers last season at the heart of The Reds' defense. He finished as the player with the second-most passes (3,037), behind only Jorginho, in addition to 38 attempted tackles with a 74% success rate.
Van Dijk won 244 of the 322 duels he competed in and made 199 clearances. He also showed his usefulness in the attacking third with four goals and two assists, to help Liverpool to a second-place finish in the league.
For his efforts, Van Dijk was voted as the PFA Player of the Year, UEFA Men's Player of the Year, UEFA Best defender and FIFA Best Defender. He was arguably the favorite to clinch the FIFA Best Men's Player award too but was beaten to the accolade by Lionel Messi.
Liverpool's defense has been less stellar this season, while Van Dijk has also not looked as assured. But the Reds are still the trailblazers in the league, while they are also on course to defend their Champions League title.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona / Argentina)
Alongside Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is the most decorated player in Ballon d'Or history. And he could well steer one clear of his eternal rival when the 2019 winner is announced.
Last season was a mixed one for the Argentine legend. He started the campaign with the stated objective of winning the Champions League for Barcelona. But even though he scored a tournament-high of 12 goals, Messi was powerless to stop Barcelona's elimination by Liverpool in the semifinal.
He also won a record-extending sixth Golden Boot, scoring 36 goals and providing 13 assists as the Catalans successfully defended their league title. But he could not make it consecutive doubles as Valencia defeated them in the Copa del Rey final.
There was further heartbreak on the international scene. Despite showing great promise, Argentina got knocked out of the Copa America in the semifinal. Messi's tournament ended acrimoniously with a red card and subsequent ban for accusing the South American football authorities of bias.
The current campaign started on a sore note for Messi, with the 32-year-old sidelined for over a month with injury. But upon his return to full fitness, he has helped aid Barcelona's upturn in fortunes, weighing in with five goals and five assists from eight matches.
