Ranking the top 5 favorites for the 2019 Ballon d'Or
The 64th edition of the Ballon d'Or is almost upon us. And as expected, the attention of fans has turned to debates over who merits the award the most.
The Ballon d'Or is unarguably the most prestigious individual accolade in the game of football. It identifies the best professional footballer in the world, and some of the most illustrious players throughout history have won it.
The players are judged by their performance over the preceding year, with select journalists as well as national team captains and coaches all judging with weighted votes. Given the distinguished nature of the award, the Ballon d'Or is usually a keenly contested affair - and the 2019 edition will be no different.
With just under two months to go until the winner is announced, let's do a rundown of the top five favorites for the award at the start of November.
#5 Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona / The Netherlands)
Frenkie de Jong followed the well-trodden path of many of his compatriots when he joined Barcelona from Ajax. But it was his performance which prompted the move that is worthy of praise.
The 22-year-old was the figurehead of an Ajax midfield that defied all expectations by making it to the semifinal of the Champions League, defeating heavyweights like Ajax and Juventus along the way.
The 'Sons of the Gods' also edged out bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven in a keenly contested race to win their first Eredivisie title in five years. They added another triumph in the KNVB Beker Cup to win a domestic double for the first time since 2002.
De Jong impressed with his displays from the middle of the park. It was his incredible performances that prompted Barcelona to shell out €75m for his services in January 2019.
The Dutch international possesses all the requisite skills to be an effective Barcelona midfielder. He has settled down seamlessly at the Camp Nou, playing an important role as the Catalans attempt to succeed on all fronts this season.
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