Who Are The Top 5 2019 Ballon D’Or Contenders?
June 5, 2019
With the 2018/19 season done and dusted, the focus will be on who gets the individual awards.
Manchester City, Paris St. Germain, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona all retained their respective League titles. Chelsea won the Europa League, while Liverpool overcame all odds to claim the Champions League title.
The star players in each of the various teams performed excellently and will be jostling for the 2019 Ballon d’Or award. The 2019 Ballon d’Or award will be dependent on several key factors like the contribution of each player to their team, and the number of trophies they won. Additionally, continental competitions like the 2019 Copa America, UEFA Nations League and African Cup of Nations can influence who wins the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
For now, here are the top 5 Ballon d’Or contenders.
5. Kylian Mbappè
PSG was disappointing in the Champions League, but in their League, they were in splendid form, and at the centre of it all was 20-year-old French striker, Kylian Mbappè. Mbappè scored 39 goals and provided 17 assists in 43 games for PSG.
He ended up with just one trophy this season and didn’t perform well in Europe, so his chances of winning the Ballon D’Or are slim.
4. Raheem Sterling
Pep Guardiola deserves all the credit for bringing out the best out of Raheem Sterling this season. The English forward was instrumental to Manchester City’s title win.
It’s unfortunate that his team were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but other than City was incredible last season. Sterling played a key role for them last season. His 25 goals and 18 assists in 51 games are enough to help him challenge for the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
3. Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian forward was overlooked for the English PFA awards last season, but he had an amazing season. Salah was crucial to Liverpool’s Champions League title win. His 34 goals and 13 assists for Liverpool is also a decent one. He is definitely a contender for the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
Lest we forget, his country Egypt is participating in the 2019 AFCON this June, and if he gets a remarkable result in the competition, his chances of winning the Ballon D’Or increases.
2. Lionel Messi
When it comes to numbers, Lionel Messi would be the man who tops everyone for the 2019 Ballon d’Or award. Lionel Messi had a fantastic season with Barcelona last season. He scored 51 goals and further provided 22 assists in 50 games.
However, he ended up just one trophy last season and suffered a humiliating defeat to Liverpool to in the Champions League.
Nonetheless, a splendid performance in the 2019 Copa America would tremendously boost his chances of winning his sixth Ballon d’Or.
1. Virgil Van Dijk
When you talk of impact to a team, you talk of Virgil Van Dijk team. The Dutchman’s importance to Liverpool last season was so apparent. He was solid at the back and commanded the back line with much efficacy. Van Dijk claimed the 2019 English PFA player of the year award, and also played a major role in Liverpool’s Champions League triumph. He has a very high chance of winning his first Ballon D’Or.
Which of these contenders do you think will win the 2019 Ballon d’Or?
Also Read:
5 Players Who Enjoyed a Breakout Campaign Last Season
5 Things to Know about Erling Håland: The 2019 FIFA U20 Record Breaker
5 Big Lessons from Liverpool’s Champions League Final Victory
This article is brought to us by our Sports Writers Club resident columnist – Collins Michael Nwokolo. Follow him on Twitter and Pinterest.
