The Ballon d’Or and FIFA best awards have been generating a lot of arguments even with the winner not announced yet. Fans, pundits and players have all shared their thoughts on who should be this year’s winner.
Real Madrid and Spain’s captain, Sergio Ramos is the latest player to share his opinion on who should win the biggest individual honour in football. The trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Virgil Van Dijk are the nominees for the FIFA best awards, and they are also expected to be the main contenders when the Ballon d’Or nominees are announced.
Ronaldo and Messi are no strangers to these awards, with both having won five Ballon d’Or each, but this id Van Dijk’s first time in this kind of situation.
However, the Dutch international has already gotten one over his rivals already this year after he was named the UEFA men’s player of the year, and Ramos believes that should also be the case when the FIFA best and Ballon d’Or winner is announced.
Speaking at the launch of his Amazon movie series, the former Sevilla man believes Van Dijk should win the award based on what he did last season, helping Liverpool win their sixth European crown. “If Van Dijk wins it, it will be on sufficient merit – great defender,” the 33-year-old told Evening Standard where Soccernet.ng got excerpts from.
He also believes that Van Dijk winning the prestigious award means there will be more opportunities for others to win it, especially in an era where Ronaldo and Messi have made it difficult for anyone else to win it. “As a defender, it’s harder. It seems as though it’s not just Messi and Cristiano [now]. It seems there’s a route opening [for others].”
