Messi crowned again
Lionel Messi scooped a record sixth Ballon d’Or this week, pulling clear of Cristiano Ronaldo in the race to become the man with the most shiny golden footballs on his mantelpiece.
Four of Liverpool’s Champions League-winning heroes were rewarded for their efforts with high placements in the voting, but how do the final standings look? Let’s have a gander…
28= Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
Felix’s astonishing £113 million move to Atletico Madrid over the summer came as a surprise to some, but he is already looking worth every penny. The 19-year-old scored 20 goals for Benfica last season and could well be a more serious contender for this prize in years to come.
28= Donny van de Beek (Ajax)
Ajax will be delighted to still have Van de Beek in their ranks this season after his impressive form helped the unfancied Eredivisie side reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19.
The 22-year-old scored important goals in wins over Juventus and Spurs during the run, and also helped the Amsterdam club clinch a league and cup double.
24= Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
His name is almost permanently inked into the gossip columns by now, and for good reason. The Senegal international was in imperious form for Napoli once again last season and carried that into AFCON in the summer, where he led his country to the final before they lost to Algeria.
18. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)
Griezmann’s final season with Atletico Madrid was overshadowed by the bickering that has gone on between the capital club and his new employers Barcelona since, but he nevertheless enjoyed an impressive 2018/19 campaign with Atleti, notching 21 goals in all competitions.
17. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
The Brazilian may not grab the headlines as often as Salah and Mane either side of him, but his contribution was crucial to Liverpool’s Champions League win and a 16-goal haul in all competitions is not to be sniffed at. What’s more, Bobby followed that up with two goals and three assists in the Copa America to help Brazil clinch the trophy.
15. Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
De Ligt’s defensive solidity and aerial threat were a hallmark of Ajax’s stunning Champions League run, and he had the pick of Europe’s top teams over the summer before joining Juventus. Although this nomination came a bit early for the 19-year-old, he did go home with the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best Under-21 player and selected by former Ballon d’Or winners.
14. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
One of the scariest aspects of City’s Premier League triumph was that they did most of it without the inspirational De Bruyne, as he struggled with injury. The Belgian has started the new campaign at the peak of his powers, though, and could well pose a greater threat to Messi in years to come.
12. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
The former Liverpool winger has transformed into a scarily good player under Pep Guardiola and his sensational form in 2018/19, where he provided 25 goals and 18 assists, earned Sterling the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards. He narrowly missed out on a place in the top 10 this year, but will certainly have his gaze set on that target.
10. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Mahrez irregular involvement in City’s league triumph last season left several punters questioning his 10th-placed ranking in the Ballon d'Or voting, but he still netted 12 goals in all competitions in his debut season at the Etihad, as well as captaining Algeria to Africa Cup of Nations glory in the summer – his country’s first tournament win since 1990.
9. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
The 25-year-old came into his own at City last season, notching 13 goals and 14 assists in all competitions to help the Citizens to a league and cup double, as well as inspiring Portugal to the UEFA Nations League title – winning Player of the Tournament in the process.
8. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
The Pole struck a remarkable 40 goals in 47 games for his club in all competitions last season, including 22 in the Bundesliga to clinch his fourth golden boot prize in the German top flight. He’s started the new campaign in typically devastating fashion too and looks set for another season littered with individual awards for his goalscoring exploits - but not this one.
7. Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
The Brazilian has made a huge difference since arriving at Anfield from Roma and enjoyed the year of his dreams, winning (deep breath): the Champions League, Copa America, Premier League Golden Glove, Copa America Golden Glove, The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award, Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season and a place in the FIFPro World XI. That was n't enough to earn him a place in the top five of the Ballon d'Or, but Alisson did at least go home with the new Yashin trophy for best goalkeeper.
6. Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
It’s incredible how much Mbappe has achieved by the age of 20. After clinching the World Cup last summer, the striker smashed in another 39 goals last season to help PSG clinch the Ligue 1 title, winning the golden boot and his club’s Player of the Year award. Surely it's only a matter of time before he takes home the Ballon d'Or.
5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Any doubts over whether the Egyptian could recreate his scintillating debut season form for Liverpool were quickly put to bed in 2018/19, as Salah raced to the Premier League Golden Boot (again, though this time shared) and notched five goals in the Champions League – including a penalty in the final victory over Tottenham. That earned him a place in the top five, where he's joined by two of his club-mates...
4. Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
It’s been quite a year for Mane, who won the Champions League and Premier League Golden Boot (shared with Salah and Aubameyang), before falling just short of Africa Cup of Nations glory as his Senegal side lost to Algeria in the final. According to the Ballon d'Or votes at least, he has been the best of Liverpool's dangerous front three over the last year.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Ronaldo’s debut campaign at Juventus ended in another Serie A title for the Turin giants, and the Portuguese adapted quickly as he notched 28 goals for his new club.
He also led Portugal to glory in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, recently hit his 700th career goal and is on course to break the all-time international record. That wasn't enough to earn him a sixth Ballon d'Or though, and the Portuguese didn't even turn up for the ceremony.
2. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Tipped by many as a potential winner, Van Dijk had to settle for second place behind Messi - the same fate he suffered in the Best FIFA Men's Player awards earlier this year. The towering Dutchman’s integral role in his club’s Champions League win and superb Premier League campaign was, at least, recognised with the PFA Player of the Year and UEFA Player of the Year awards.
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Six Ballon d'Or awards. It's a record, and breaking records is what Messi does best. The Argentine finished as La Liga’s top scorer by a landslide last season, scoring 34 goals to finish 13 clear of Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema. He won his 10th league title, notched his 400th league goal, and won a record sixth FIFA Best Men’s Player award.
This season, he's pulled ridiculous free-kick after ridiculous free-kick out of the bag to bail out Barça once again. To put it simply, he’s been doing Messi things. It was going to take something special to stop a Liverpool player from winning the gong this year - Messi is as special as they come.
