Danny Murphy can appreciate why Messi may land another top prize, but feels the Dutch defender should get the nod this year instead.
Virgil van Dijk is the “obvious” choice for the 2019 Ballon d’Or, says Danny Murphy, who considers the Liverpool defender to be more deserving of the prestigious prize than Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
The battle to be named the best player on the planet over the last 12 months looks set to be a two-horse race between a pair of talismanic figures at Anfield and Camp Nou.
Honours to this point have been shared, with Van Dijk taking the UEFA Player of the Year crown and Messi the FIFA Best award.