Van Dijk Tips Messi For Ballon D

By Max Wise

Virgil Van Dijk believes Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is still in pole position to scoop this year’s Ballon d’or despite enhancing his own chances of winning after helping Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League.

The world’s most expensive defender was pivotal at the back for Liverpool as they overcame Lionel Messi’s Barcelona at the semi-final stage before getting the better of Tottenham Hotspurs in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday.

Van Dijk, who won the PFA Player of the year this season, was named man-of-the-match in the Champions League final as Liverpool won the competition for a sixth time; a record only AC Milan and Real Madrid can better.

Lionel Messi had another outstanding season for Barcelona, notching 51 goals in all competitions as the Blaugrana retained the Spanish league title but lost to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final, and Liverpool in the semi-final stage of the Champions League.

Van Dijk’s performances for Liverpool have made him a strong candidate for the most coveted individual trophy in world football but the Dutch centre back still believes Messi will win it for a sixth time.

"I think Messi is the best player in the world," he told reporters. "He deserves it as long as he plays, so the Ballon d'Or is not something I'm thinking of. If it happens obviously I would take it, but I don't think there is any [chance].

"He is still the best player in the world. It doesn't matter if he's not in the Champions League final."

Former Italy centre back, Fabio Cannavaro, was the last defender to win the Ballon d’or in 2006 after leading the Azzurri to lift the FIFA World Cup.