Real Madrid’s captain, Sergio Ramos, has backed Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to win this year’s Ballon d’ Or ahead of Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi and Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ramos also described Van Dijk as a great defender, adding that it will be on sufficient merit if he wins the world individual top-prize award ahead of Messi and Ronaldo.

Van Dijk recently won this year’s UEFA Men Player of the Year award ahead of Messi and Ronaldo.

“If Van Dijk wins it [Ballon d’ Or], it will be on sufficient merit – great defender,” Ramos said at the launch of his new Amazon Prime documentary, as reported by the Evening Standard.

“As a defender, it’s harder. It seems as though it’s not just Messi and Cristiano [now]. It seems there’s a route opening [for others].”

“It makes you think [when you realise] that no Spanish players have won it.

“It’s an individual prize and it’s not really known what is being recognised.”