How close Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk was to beating Lionel Messi to the Ballon d’Or

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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was reportedly just seven votes away from beating Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

Messi lifted the prize for the sixth time last night, capping another incredible year for the Argentine, though many feel Van Dijk was arguably more influential.

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Although Messi has dazzled us as ever with his goals and skills, Van Dijk’s rock-solid form in defence has transformed Liverpool and played a key part in them winning the Champions League, which included beating Messi’s Barcelona in the semi-finals.

According to the Daily Mail, Messi only just edged the vote, getting only seven votes more than Van Dijk in the end.

In truth, most Liverpool fans won’t be too bothered at this point, even if it might have been nice to see the Dutchman get that recognition for his world class displays.

Virgil van Dijk and his girlfriend at last night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony

LFC will be thrilled they won the Champions League and will also be excited about more silverware to come as Jurgen Klopp has guided them to the top of the Premier League table with an eight-point lead.

Van Dijk scored twice for the Reds as they beat Brighton at the weekend, with his goals ensuring they remained top of the league, whilst also opening up an eleven-point gap between themselves and reigning champions Manchester City, who could only manage a draw at Newcastle.

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