Liverpool look set to end an 11-year record held by Real Madrid and Barcelona with the bookies backing Virigl Van Dijk to win the Ballon d'Or in December.
No player from outside the two Spanish clubs has won the award since 2008 when Cristiano Ronaldo landed the prize as a Manchester United player.
Ronaldo has picked up the award as a Madrid player four times since, interchanging with Barca's Lionel Messi who has it five times after 2008.
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Madrid's Luka Modric received the honour last year to continue the Spanish domination.
Another trend in the award winners is that since 1997, only two players have either failed to already play for or subsequently sign for the two clubs.
Bookmakers have Van Dijk as the favourite to win this year with Messi second and Ronaldo, who now plays for Juventus, in third.
Goalkeeper Alisson is fourth favourite with five other Reds players also on the 30-man shortlist.
Van Dijk surprisingly lost out to Messi at the Best FIFA awards but will be hoping he beats the Argentine to end the long wait for a player outside of Spain to be crowned the world's best.
