Ballon d'Or: The night Virgil van Dijk lost the trophy by 7 points

World 19 September 2025 at 08:36

Imed Ben Amara

News Editor

Seven points changed the course of history, handing a new Ballon d'Or to Lionel Messi and denying Virgil van Dijk the chance to etch his name into the golden legacy of the trophy.

Also read: Ballon d'Or 2025: Favorites and everything you need to know about the prestigious ceremony

It was in 2019 when the Dutch defender sat at the same table as football's greats, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, after a remarkable season in which he helped Liverpool capture the Champions League title.

However, he couldn't lift the trophy, falling just short to Lionel Messi. The Argentine collected 686 points, while the Dutchman finished with 679.

What makes this defeat even more bitter for UEFA's 2019 best player is that he was chosen as the leader in 69 votes—eight more times than La Pulga.

History will only remember Messi's victory over van Dijk, and that only three defenders have managed to claim the trophy since its inception: Franz Beckenbauer (1972, 1976), Matthias Sammer (1996), and Fabio Cannavaro (2006).