Does Virgil van Dijk deserve to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or? | Jamie Carragher & Jamie Redknapp discuss

Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp discuss whether Virgil van Dijk deserves to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or after the centre-back became the bookies favourite for the award.

MORE FROM SKY SPORTS ON YOUTUBE:

[dob]

All jokes aside, he should be in the same category. Scores defends and passes with ease. Not very many players of his quality in his position.

[kylemuckian]

Something that really annoys me about football nowadays with the ballon dor the mejority of football fans are SOOO. BIASED. towards attackers because they do all the skills and score the goals but. Positions like left back right back centre back never get the credit they deserve

[lfcspectre]

We all know Divcok Origi deserve it more! "Football Without Origi Is Nothing"

[jonathanhoward]

The real problem is really that the two front runners for the ballon dor play the complete opposite positions. You can't compare Messi and Van Dijk. One is an attacker with the most goals and assists in the whole of Europe, and one is a center half who in his last 60 plus appearances has not been dribbled round. It's a matter of opinion from that point. I think people quickly jump on the Van Dijk bandwagon because the idea of an English league defender winning the award is more appealing than Messi who has already racked up 5 rewards in the last 10 years. I don't think that means he doesn't deserve it. But I just think there is a natural bias to lean towards the new and exciting.

I think you have to consider the teams they both play in aswell. Arnold, Robertson and Matip have all had great seasons alongside van dijk. They have more passion as a squad, more depth, better management and in challenging for the premier League for the last 2 or 3 seasons have built a good amount of playing experience.

The Barcelona squad are talented but disjointed. Good performances but can look weak in areas and often get exploited. Their attacking options are limited, but for me that shows just how class Messi has been. His numbers are better than any other attacker in europe by a long shot, but numbers only paint half the picture. His quality on and off the ball is magical. Everything he does just ooses class, and he did it in a team that lack what's needed to sit at the top.

But this is the ballon d'Or, its about the individual not the team. I'd love to see either win, I think they are both deserving.

Sidenote: I have long train journeys home

[rickymercerjr]

Great clip sky sports you cut off the guy explaining his take on Virgil van Dijk halfway through speaking on his performance for the Netherlands. Thanks

[louiswilliam]

Virgil Has Been Amazing This Season And Deserves The Recognition 💪🏻, But Messi This Season With His Solo Performances Yet Again Has Been Just Out Of This Planet 🐐👽 it also goes down to the consistency 👍🏻

[MrUmpalumpa]

Messi should win it. If anyone else had a season like him, with the goals and assists he had, there would be uproar if they didn’t get the ballon d’or but because Messi has been doing it year after year, it is almost expected and therefore he has been a victim of his own success. Look at Salah last year, people were calling for him to win it and Messi has trumped his season. VVD has been terrific and it will be tight.

[Ellie]

Everyone thinks that the most important thing in football is to score goals which is why messi/ Ronaldo win the ballon d’or most years
However when you think about it, to win a game of football you need to score goals and also stop the other team from scoring and I think that van dijk is the best at this in the world atm

[Pepgang]

1. Messi
2. Van Djik
3. Bernardo Silva

[aryangupta]

Now Jamie Redknapp what is your opinion?

Redknapp: well actual-
Reporter: that’ll do

[Razzmelodeano]

Upset he was never regarded as the best. VVD is 10 times better than Jamie ever was. VVD player of the year because of what he did for Liverpool. He is the backbone of this new Liverpool.

[bxn]

VvD!!! He can defend, assist AND score

[hbombburgess]

Van dijk has has a massive influence to Liverpool, in my opinion he should get it

[nabz]

It's really sad how people don't consider defenders as players. For them, you have to be an attacker to be considered the best player.

[isiddique]

The media will somehow try make a case for someone other than Messi to win it. Messis had a monstrous year and if it was anyone else with his numbers, people would be crying for it.
But Messi is a victim of his own greatness.
VVD is the best defender and amazing but Messi is still the best player this year. People forget the Balon Dor is an INDIVIDUAL award, get that through your heads.

[chrisramsey]

How he gonna say Virgil Van Djik is the best CB in the prem when Phill Jones is clearly far superior🤔

[Lewis_ATA]

Either Bernardo, Messi, or VVD. I lean towards Bernardo won 5 trophies and was integral to each one.

[hasselett]

You can't really compare a centre back with an attacker, so most of it comes down to preference. VvD is an amazing defender, definitely the best in the world. I've watched nearly all Liverpool games this season and he's been strictly sensational in all departments.
For me, however, Messi has been the best player by far this season. VvD has carried Liverpool's defence but Messi has carried the entire Barça squad. Now, I recognize that defenders should be regarded highly in the Bdor discussion. Still, no one's even come close to Messi this season. Not even Van Dijk. Most goals in La Liga, most goals in CL, most goals in Europe's top 5 leagues, up there in most assists, most dribbles, key passes etc. On top of that, he's dominated in most big games this season apart from the games v Madrid and the Anfield game. Messi has set his own standards so high that he genuinely NEEDS to win the CL to have a crack at the Ballon D'or, something that I find absolutely unacceptable. Had any other player had Messi's season, that player would win the Bdor, no doubt. But since it's Messi, he needs to do far more than anyone else to win it. Anyone who's watched both play consistently (like me) knows who should win it. All credit to VVD but Messi deserves it, hands down.

[ikyhrhe]

I say Messi, but after Modric won it last season because he won the CL, VVD deserves it. Keep that same energy, an all that. Prem player of the season too. Best league in the world.

[Oliver.Elliott]

Everybody moaning about the ballon dor always goes to a striker. Maybe the reason why is because Ronaldo and Messi have been the 2 best players in the world over the past 10-11 years (arguably the best ever) 😂 and they are both forwards.