Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk looks set to miss out on the Ballon d’Or award for 2019, according to reports from Spanish media.
Mundo Deportivo published a story claiming that Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is the distinct favourite to receive the prize next Monday, with the news shared by @AnfieldWatch on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/anfieldwatch/status/1199398575584796678?s=21
While seven Liverpool players have been nominated for the award, Mundo Deportivo claimed that Van Dijk was the only realistic contender from Jurgen Klopp’s squad, adding that representatives from award organisers France Football flew to Barcelona earlier this week to interview Messi and seemingly notify him of the prize.
Van Dijk was part of the Liverpool team that won the Champions League just under six months ago, with the Reds eliminating Messi’s Barcelona in the semi-finals after an astonishing second leg turnaround at Anfield. [via TransferMarkt]
The Netherlands international has won multiple individual awards this year, including being named PFA Player of the Year and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, although he came second to Messi for Men’s World Player of 2019 in The Best FIFA Football Awards in September.
With Van Dijk seemingly about to lose out to the Argentina forward for another prize, these Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their disgust at the reported decision:
Boring…. Fed up of Messi winning everything. This year more than any other was a chance to reward someone else
— Finlay the Westie & his Mom (@Helen09Porter) November 26, 2019
If that is the case pure joke
— Peter Joyce@Kopite (@petejoyce4668) November 26, 2019
What messi done this year??? Absolutely nothing !!!!
— John fleet (@twinboys16) November 26, 2019
If Messi wins then this Ballon D’or is nothing but fake
— 🇦🇱🇽🇰LaceitUp🇩🇪 (@whyyoucare23) November 26, 2019
I mean I was invested in this at some point, but then giving it again to Messi just because of his name will only further prove how corrupt this award really is. No need to waste breath.
— lintuinblue (@lintuinblue) November 26, 2019
Bogos and one of most useless award i have ever seen,who is Messi last season shameless ballon d,or
— Centrosema (@Centrosema12) November 26, 2019
Shocking if so what did messi do ?? Oh yeh he scored goals against second rate Spanish sides 🤦🏻♂️
— Anthony Thomas (@owainanwen) November 27, 2019
Should Van Dijk get the Ballon d’Or ahead of Messi this year? Have your say by commenting below!
