Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award 2019 for the world’s best player for a record sixth time. It is the first Ballon d’Or for 32-year-old Argentine and Barcelona star since 2015.
Virgil van Dijk was second – followed by Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker from Liverpool. Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, came third in the voting.
Liverpool keeper Alisson won the inaugural Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, ahead of Barcelona’s Germany international Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Brazilian compatriot Ederson of Manchester City.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt took the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best under-21 player and selected by former Ballon d’Or winners.
Harry Kane and Neymar are among significant players, who were missed in this list. David de Gea and Oblak had incredible performances for their respective teams, but missed out in nomination list.
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Megan Rapinoe was announced winner of Ballon d’Or 2019, in the women section, beating England defender Lucy Bronze. The Golden Ball winner from USA, claimed a second successive World Cup in 2019.
Lionel Messi Records
- Ballon d’Or, as the world’s best player – 6 (in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019).
- A Record 91 – goals scored in 2012, breaking the calendar-year record set by German Gerd Muller in 1972.
- Career hat-tricks – 52; 46 for Barcelona, six for Argentina.
For Barcelona
- Appearances – 701
- Trophies won – 34.
- La Liga titles – 10.
- Champions League wins – 4
- Total Goals – 614, including a record 428 in LaLiga.
For Argentina
- Argentina Caps – 138
- Goals for Argentina – 70 , his nation’s all-time leading scorer (That tally includes his two in the 2008 Olympics)
- Olympic gold in Beijing is Messi’s only major honour with Argentina in 2008
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only players to have won more than three Ballon d’Or awards.
Ranking of Ballon d’Or Nominees 2019
# | Name | Club | Points |
1 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 686 |
2 | Virgil Van Dijk | Liverpool | 679 |
3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus | 476 |
4 | Sadio Mané | Liverpool | 347 |
5 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 178 |
6 | Kylian Mbappé | PSG | 89 |
7 | Alisson Becker | Liverpool | 67 |
8 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 44 |
9 | Bernardo | Manchester City | 41 |
10 | Mahrez | Manchester City | 33 |
11 | De Jong | Barcelona | 31 |
12 | Sterling | Manchester City | 30 |
13 | Hazard | Real Madrid | 25 |
14 | De Bruyne | Manchester City | 14 |
15 | De Ligt | Juventus | 14 |
16 | Agüero | Manchester City | 13 |
17 | Firmino | Liverpool | 12 |
18 | Griezmann | Barcelona | 9 |
19 | Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool | 8 |
20 | Aubameyang | Arsenal | 5 |
20 | Tadić | Ajax | 5 |
22 | Son | Tottenham | 4 |
23 | Lloris | Tottenham | 3 |
24 | Ter Stegen | Barcelona | 2 |
24 | Koulibaly | Napoli | 2 |
26 | Benzema | Real Madrid | 1 |
26 | Wijnaldum | Liverpool | 1 |
28 | Van de Beek, | Ajax | 0 |
28 | Marquinhos | PSG | 0 |
28 | Félix | Atletico Madrid | 0 |