3 Reasons why Lionel Messi should win the Ballon d'Or ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk
We are only a few weeks away from the 2019 Ballon d'Or awards gala which is scheduled to be held in December. Backed by French Magazine, France Football and presented to the most impressive player in the world every year, the Ballon d'Or has grown to become the most coveted individual award in the sport. Every top superstar dreams of winning it.
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi recently triumphed at the FIFA 'Best Awards' show, and he is also in contention to add the Ballon d'Or to his cabinet. However, he faces intense competition from his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and also Liverpool's defensive powerhouse Virgil van Dijk.
Those two superstars have also made strong cases to be named the best footballer in the world this year. Nevertheless, Messi deserves to go home with his sixth Ballon d'Or award in December, and below are three reasons why:
#3 Unmatched individual exploits in the Champions League
While the 4-0 humiliation at Anfield dented Barcelona's Champions League hopes last season, it took nothing away from the fantastic year Messi enjoyed at the individual level during the tournament.
The Argentine was at the top of his game, producing a series of amazing performances as he drove Barca from the group stage down to the semifinals. He was arguably the most impressive player during the tournament - courtesy of his brilliant exploits in front of goal.
Messi finished on top of the goal-scoring chart with an impressive 12 goals to his name from 10 appearances. Ronaldo, on the other hand, could only find the back of the net six times for Juventus. While some might try to make a case for Van Dijk, the numbers suggest he wasn't at the same level as Messi.
The playmaker dominated the headlines for most of the campaign. Everyone remembers his man-of-the-match performances against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, PSV, Olympique Lyon and Manchester United, as well as the first leg of the semi-final tie with Liverpool.
Also check out:Champions League Schedule La Liga fixtures La Liga matches