Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has been named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for 2018/19.
The 28-year-old Holland international beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus to win the award after playing a starring role for Liverpool in their triumphant Champions League campaign.
The former Celtic and Southampton centre-half, who succeeded Real Madrid’s Luka Modric as Europe’s top player, was man of the match in the Champions League final win against Tottenham.
✨ 2018/19 UEFA Men's Player of the Year ✨— #UCLdraw (@ChampionsLeague) August 29, 2019
He was also named PFA Player’s Player of the Year in April after leading Liverpool to a second-placed finish in the Premier League.
Liverpool signed Van Dijk for a reported fee of £75million from Southampton on New Year’s Day 2018 and the following October he was installed as captain by manager Jurgen Klopp after a players’ vote.
The Dutchman has added both much-needed steel, as well as guile, to Liverpool’s defence and is widely regarded as one of the world’s best central defenders.
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