Virgil van Dijk backs Liverpool teammate to win the Ballon d'Or over himself

Virgil van Dijk was named alongside three Liverpool teammates in the 30-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or.

The Liverpool captain famously finished runner-up to Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or in 2019 after collecting the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season, and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year awards that year.

Now, Van Dijk is up for the award once again after the Reds dominated the Premier League nominations with four of the eight players on the list plying their trade on Merseyside.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Alexis Mac Allister was a surprise nomination for the Reds alongside summer signing Florian Wirtz, but van Dijk believes one of his Liverpool teammates should be a frontrunner to bring the Ballon d’Or back to Anfield.

Virgil van Dijk believes Mohamed Salah can win the Ballon d’Or

Mohamed Salah broke countless records as he fired Arne Slot’s side to their 20th Premier League title at the first time of asking for the Dutchman.

Throughout the entirety of the campaign, Salah produced Ballon d’Or-winning form; however, historically, individual achievement alone has proven insufficient to claim the prestigious honour.

After PSG’s Champions League triumph, Ousmane Dembele is widely regarded as the overwhelming favourite to be named the recipient in September.

However, van Dijk has backed his Egyptian teammate ahead of Dembele and, of course, himself, and believes Salah’s individual performances alone should be enough to sway the vote.

Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

“Ridiculous numbers,” van Dijk said to The Athletic about Salah’s contributions. “If he wins the Ballon d’Or, then no one could argue.”

The highest Salah has finished in the rankings is fifth, which he has achieved on two occasions in 2019 and 2022, but ‘the Anfield faithful will argue that their talisman could not have done much more to put himself in contention this time around.

Mohamed Salah could be the first Liverpool winner since 2001

Liverpool have come agonisingly close to having the honour of seeing one of their stars win the Ballon d’Or on several occasions.

Van Dijk was only the second player in the club’s history to finish runner-up for the award, matching Sir Kenny Dalglish’s feat in 1983.

Michael Owen stands as the only Liverpool recipient in history after he was named the winner in 2001, after helping his side win a historic treble in the 2000/01 season.

Emile Heskey remembered Owen as “one of the best finishers” in football during the pair’s time at the Reds, but despite his unwavering contributions at Anfield, he is hardly a beloved figure among the fanbase.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

His decision to join Manchester United in 2009 completely destroyed his already-tarnished relationship with the Liverpool supporters.

Nevertheless, Salah will be in the conversation to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, and should the Egyptian achieve such a historic feat, the Liverpool supporters will finally have a winner they can revere.

Click here to read article