Virgil van Dijk showed just how difficult it is for a defender to win the Ballon d’Or award in 2019.The Liverpool centre-back finished second to Lionel Messi in the running for the individual honour.Van Dijk was monstrously good in 2019, leading the Reds to Champions League glory, but missed out after collecting seven fewer points than Messi.“The message of the Ballon d’Or was, he’s never going to win it again,” Van Dijk’s compatriot Ruud Gullit said about the vote, per JOE.

When will a defender win it?

Of course, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have made it very difficult for any other player to win it for the past 15 years.

Once their reign is over, who knows, perhaps we’ll see the first defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 on the throne.

To his enormous credit, Van Dijk wasn’t bitter about finishing second.

Van Dijk alongside Messi at the 2019 Ballon d'Or

Van Dijk's classy interview

The Liverpool star delivered a fantastic interview after the result was announced, praising Messi and Ronaldo while also acknowledging his own fine journey.

“Unfortunately there are a couple of players like him (Messi) that are a bit unnatural,” Van Dijk said. “I think they are fantastic.

“Look, six times the Ballon d’Or, you need to respect greatness as well. I was close but there was just someone a little bit better.

Van Dijk's interview at 2019 Ballon d'Or

“I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved last year with Liverpool, with Holland, and hopefully we can do that again this year.

“But you know it’s going to be tough as long as these guys are around still.”

That’s how you lose gracefully.

No defender in 2021 top 10

Van Dijk has established himself as a world-class player, and the Champions League and Premier League winner’s medals he now owns will mean more to him than the Ballon d’Or ever could.

But the 2019 ceremony was a reminder of the extraordinary lengths a defender has to go to be in with a chance of winning the prize.

At the 2021 ceremony, there wasn’t a single defender in the top 10.

It would be nice to think a defender actually stands a chance when the annual event rolls around, but in all honesty, they’ve all probably accepted their odds are exceptionally slim.