After missing out on the 2019 Ballon d'Or award to FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, it has been claimed that Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk was essentially told he will never win the individual accolade.
Legendary former Dutch footballer Ruud Gullit appeared disappointed when discussing Van Dijk missing out on last year's Ballon d'Or to Messi in a recent interview, saying he believes the message from France Football was that he will never go close to being awarded the accolade again.
"The message of the Ballon d'Or was, he's never going to (get a chance to) win it again," he told JOE.
Gullit was then asked if he believed his compatriot should have won the prize.
"Yeah, I think he should (have)," he continued.
"But, you know, you can't say Messi didn't deserve it either. But if there was a possibility to make a stand for a defender, it was last year.
"(Arrigo) Sacchi already said that Van Dijk couldn't win it because, otherwise, (Franco) Baresi should have won it already.
"If Baresi didn't win it, why should he win it? That's what he said. He didn't say he didn't deserve it, but he said they're never going to give it to a defender. That's what he said, and that's a pity.
"That's why I say, it almost looks like they say 'Look, you're never going to be a contender anymore for the Ballon d'Or'."
Van Dijk finished second to Messi in the ranking, and ahead of Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo who came in at third place.
