‘Give Van Dijk The 2019 Ballon D’Or’ - Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes Virgil van Dijk should win the 2019 Ballon d’Or ahead of Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

A 30-man shortlist for the award was revealed in October with Messi, Van Dijk and Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane among the frontrunners to win it.

Liverpool’s Champions League winners Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino are also on the shortlist but their manager says Van Dijk is the worthiest recipient.

“If you give the Ballon d’Or to the best player of this generation then you should give it always to Lionel Messi. That’s how it is,” he said.

“But if you give it to the best player of last season, then it was Virgil van Dijk.

“I don’t know exactly how it will work but that is how I see it.

“The best player of all? That’s Lionel. Best player of last season? That’s Virgil. We will see.”