This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
December 1, 2019, marked the day a leaked list of Ballon D'Or rankings surfaced on social media, with Lionel Messi topping the voting with 446 points.
The Barcelona forward is the favourite to win the award for a record sixth time, but faces stiff competition from Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, who secured 382 points in second place.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes van Dijk deserves the award, citing his consistency and impressive performances throughout the year.
'I'm Messi's number one fan, for sure,' Gerrard said. 'But if you talk about consistency from one player over a year, who wins the European Cup and is absolutely faultless in every performance, that means you deserve to win the Ballon d'Or.'
The winner of the award will be announced on Monday in a ceremony in Paris.
