Jurgen Klopp's Ballon d'Or remark that 'upset' Liverpool star and saw Lionel Messi speak out

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However, Liverpool's iconic captain was at the centre of an alleged bust up between his old boss Jurgen Klopp and former team-mate Sadio Mane ahead of the 2019 edition of the awards.

Van Dijk finished in 28th in this year's Ballon d'Or as PSG forward Ousmane Dembele claimed the gong.

After a season where Van Dijk helped Liverpool win their sixth European Cup and take Manchester City to the wire in the Premier League title race, Klopp endorsed his centre-back for the esteemed award.

"Things like this are decisions made by journalists.

Very early in my life, I saw Franz Beckenbauer and Diego Maradona but I've seen Lionel Messi more.

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"I don’t know how the others would have played nowadays – probably exceptional – but Lionel Messi is here now and he has won it six times and Cristiano [Ronaldo] five times but last season I cannot remember a more impressive season from a defender ever.

Mane scored 22 goals for the Reds in their Champions League-winning season and was an instrumental part of a Reds attack that also featured Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Mane eventually finished in fourth at the Ballon d'Or.

While the Senegalese star's own boss had pivoted to Van Dijk - albeit also at the expense of six other Liverpool players up for the award in Salah, Firmino, Georginio Wijnaldum, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker, he found a cheerleader in Messi himself.

"It's a shame to see Mane finish in fourth place," Messi told Canal+ after taking home the top prize ahead of Van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"But I think there have been a lot of great players this year.

He departed Liverpool after scoring 120 goals and winning six major trophies including the Premier League in 2020.

This year's Ballon d'Or saw four Liverpool players in the top 30 with Alexis Mac Allister in 22nd and new signing Florian Wirtz coming in at a place above Van Dijk in 29th.

Salah helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season with 34 goals and 23 assists but could only manage a fourth-placed finish.