Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has made the top 30 list of candidates for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, repeating his 2019 achievement when he finished second behind Lionel Messi. However, amid Liverpool's dominance of this year's nominations, Van Dijk is backing his teammate, Mohamed Salah, to bring the prestigious trophy home to Anfield. Liverpool are showing their strength by having four players on the shortlist, the most from the Premier League. Besides Van Dijk, they also include Alexis Mac Allister, new signing Florian Wirtz, and, of course, Mohamed Salah.
Salah's Brilliant Performance and the Captain's Confidence
According to Van Dijk, Salah's contributions throughout the 2024/2025 season are more than enough to captivate voters. Under new manager Arne Slot, the Egyptian was a key driving force behind Liverpool's 20th Premier League title in the club's history. "His numbers are incredible. If he wins the Ballon d'Or, no one can argue," Van Dijk told The Athletic. This praise demonstrates Salah's crucial role, not only as a statistically prolific player but also as a leader on the pitch. Van Dijk, who won several prestigious individual awards in 2019, remains humble and believes Salah's achievements are more deserving of recognition. This underscores the strong bond and mutual respect among Liverpool players.Michael Owen's Shadow and a Bitter History For Liverpool, the Ballon d'Or has a complicated history. The only Reds player to have ever won it was Michael Owen in 2001. Unfortunately, Owen's move to arch-rivals Manchester United in 2009 damaged his relationship with the fans and made his win difficult to celebrate sincerely among the Anfield crowd. Van Dijk himself was only the second Liverpool player to finish as runner-up, equaling the legendary Kenny Dalglish in 1983. Now, with this nomination, he has the chance to break that record, but he prefers to focus on Salah's chances of writing a clean slate for the club.
Fierce Race for the Throne
Despite Salah's strong case, the 2025 Ballon d'Or race will not be easy. Reports suggest Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph has made Ousmane Dembélé a strong favorite, coupled with impressive performances from other players such as Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham. However, if Salah were to win this award, he would not only end Liverpool's long wait since 2001, but would also be a winner the club's entire fan base could be truly proud of and celebrate. Salah's victory would perfectly symbolize Liverpool's renaissance under new leadership.
List of 30 Nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or
Here is the complete list of the 30 players nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or:
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid & Inggris)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain & Prancis)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain & Italia)
