As the announcement date for the winner of the 2019 Ballon d’Or draws closer (2 December), many football pundits are up and about talking about who should win the golden ball. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to face fierce competition from the likes of eternal rival Lionel Messi and the in-form Virgil van Dijk. However, these two awards are chosen based on performances throughout an entire season, whereas the Ballon d'Or spans a calendar year. Luka Modric broke the monopoly of Ronaldo and Messi 12 months ago, with the Real Madrid midfielder taking the top spot. Now Van Dijk - who topped the Goal 50 for 2019 - has desired to land the Ballon d’Or.

Source: dna November 18, 2019 03:00 UTC