British bookmakers are showing faith in a Liverpool star winning the 2019 Ballon d’Or and that is despite Mohamed Salah’s Egypt side crashing out of the Africa Cup of Nations early.

Favorite Virgil van Dijk has topped the betting since late May but William Hill have this week cut Salah’s outside chance from 16/1 (+1600) to 7/1 (+700), meaning Liverpool players now make up four of the top six supposed candidates.

Salah steered Liverpool to Champions League glory earlier this year and was expected to impress in the summer’s AFCON tournament in Egypt.

He was one of the favorites alongside clubmate van Dijk and Argentina’s Lionel Messi to claim the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

Salah Ballon d’Or Odds Change

That changed with most top bookies on Saturday when Salah’s Egypt exited the Africa Cup of Nations at the hands of South Africa.

Many UK bookmakers lengthened Salah’s odds to over 20/1 (+2000). Yet William Hill have only dropped Salah to 7/1 (+700) in the Ballon d’Or race.

That makes the 27-year-old their third favourite, behind 8/11 (-137) frontrunner van Dijk and 6/4 (+150) hopeful Messi.

Liverpool Stars Leading The Way

Yet van Dijk and Salah aren’t the only two Liverpool stars included in the Ballon d’Or battle this year.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker came off a stunning first domestic season with Liverpool to then claim the Copa America with Brazil this July.

The shot-stopper had also been an outstanding performer in the Champions League, earning a spot in the UEFA team of the tournament.

Brazil’s Copa America triumph – during which the hosts conceded only one goal in six games – has caused Alisson’s Ballon d’Or odds to tumble from 66/1 (+6600) to 12/1 (+1200) within the space of a week.

Mane Could Leap With AFCON Win

Another Reds star, Sadio Mane, is also in the running for the Ballon d’Or and could actually receive the boost many Salah fans were expecting him to get had Egypt won the AFCON.

Mane’s Senegal are still in the competition and face Benin on Wednesday, July 10, in the quarter-finals.

Mane is 15/1 (+1500) with Unibet to win the Ballon d’Or and bookmakers expect that price to come further in should Senegal reach the AFCON final.

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