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Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual prize in football. As is often the case, it takes a team to win a match but the plaudits usually go to the ones who are involved in the goalscoring department. It is then not much of a surprise that only three defenders have won the Ballon d'Or thus far.
The first defender to win the Ballon d'Or was Germany's Franz Beckenbauer. He did it in 1972. He would then repeat that feat in 1976. Matthias Sammer, another German defender, won the Ballon d'Or in 1996 and 10 years later in 2006, Fabio Cannavaro became the third player to win it.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have exercised a duopoly of sorts over the Ballon d'Or in recent times
Since Cannavaro, only four players have won the Ballon d'Or. After Kaka won the award in 2007, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi took over and their duopoly was broken only in 2018 by Luka Modric. Messi won the latest edition of the Ballon d'Or in 2019. The award was canceled last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the days are a-changing and defenders are starting to get a lot more praise than they used to in the past. Thanks to in-depth analysis and the technology that aids a thorough reading of the game, the credit is finally reaching where it's due.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five defenders who could win the Ballon d'Or in the future.
#5 Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
After a stellar showing at Euro 2020, Harry Maguire is finally starting to get the credit he deserves. Maguire is an absolute unit at the back but his game has so much more to it than just his physical attributes.
The Manchester United captain is one of the most technically proficient defenders in Europe. He is a good ball-carrier and has a passing range that'd fit a midfielder. He is tactically intelligent and is a threat from set-pieces as well thanks to his aerial ability.
Manchester United missed Maguire dearly in the final weeks of the 2020-21 season as he was sidelined with an injury. The Europa League final would have worked out differently for them had he been cleared to play. Maguire most recently made it to the official Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament after playing a starring role for the Three Lions in their run to the final.
He has also shown incredible fitness levels and is a player who wants to start every single match in a season be it in the league or a cup competition. The Red Devils are slowly starting to put together a world-class team. If they can win some trophies, Maguire will definitely come into contention for the Ballon d'Or.
#4 Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
One of the most promising young defenders in Europe, Alphonso Davies is already a star at the age of 20. He has already won the continental treble with Bayern Munich. Davies has shown maturity beyond his years and also possesses great technique.
This enables him to play a number of roles down the left flank. He can play as a left-back, left-midfielder or left-winger. Davies possesses explosive pace, dribbling and is a great crosser of the ball.
If Davies continues to go from strength to strength, then in about five years he will be an incredible footballer. He is a spectacular attacking footballer and looks set to win plenty of trophies with Bayern Munich. However, he tore his ligament in training last week and is now set for a spell on the sidelines.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold is arguably the best attacking full-back in the world right now. The Liverpool youngster can whip in beauties from the right-wing and his delivery has already been compared to that of David Beckham.
Trent played a pivotal role in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League triumph in the 2018-19 season. He was also a standout performer for Jurgen Klopp's men as they won the league title for the first time in the Premier League era in the 2019-20 campaign.
In 45 appearances across all competitions in the 2020-21 season, the 22-year-old scored two goals and provided nine assists. And that's despite a major dip in form which was facilitated by the absence of Liverpool's reliable centre-back duo. But he was able to revive his season in the closing stages.
Trent was one of Liverpool's stars as they embarked on a resurgent run to cop Champions League qualification. He has his entire career ahead of him and can improve plenty by the time he hits his peak. If there is an attacking full-back who has the potential to be a Ballon d'Or winner, then it is Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
#2 Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
Matthijs De Ligt first turned heads captaining Ajax in their exhilarating run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in the 2018-19 season. De Ligt was given the Golden Boy Award in 2018 and he was already a world-class footballer as a teenager.
De Ligt was subsequently signed by Juventus on a deal worth around €75 million. However, that move hasn't exactly worked out to his liking as he plays second fiddle to the experienced centre-back duo of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
The Dutchman used to play as an attacking midfielder in his youth and the attributes he added to his arsenal along the way have certainly helped him. He has great technique and is just as adept at playing the ball out from the back as he is at holding his ground while defending.
De Ligt is also two-footed and has great leadership skills which helps him command the backline, and this makes him a quality presence at the back. He is tipped to go on to win major trophies for both club and country and could definitely be a Ballon d'Or contender in the future if he continues to improve.
#1 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Liverpool broke the bank and broke their transfer record to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018. He has proven to be worth every bit of £75 million the Merseysiders paid to secure his services. Van Dijk made Liverpool a complete team and was arguably the standout performer in their Champions League triumph in the 2018-19 season.
He was picked as the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Year at the end of the 2018-19 season. Van Dijk was also chosen as the UEFA Men's Player of the Year in 2018-19.
He is also the best centre-back in the world and is blessed with pace, strength, endurance and incredible aerial ability. The former Southampton man is the most complete defender the Premier League has seen in recent times.
The Dutchman was sidelined for the majority of the 2020-21 season and Liverpool's struggles in his absence are a testament to Van Dijk's abilities. Now that he is all set to return, Liverpool will be back to their best.
Van Dijk finished second in the Ballon d'Or race in 2019. Liverpool are one of the best sides in Europe. If they can continue to challenge for and win top honours, Van Dijk could come into contention for the Ballon d'Or again.
