Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was yesterday named as UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for 2018/19 following the draw for this season’s Champions League group stage in Monaco. [via UEFA.com]
Liverpool-focused sports writer Dave O’Connell tweeted about the announcement (via @DaveOCKOP) shortly afterwards, albeit with a slight misquoting of the award’s official title.
BREAKING: Virgil Van Dijk named Champions League player of the year. Incredible
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) August 29, 2019
Van Dijk beat fellow nominees Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award in recognition of his contribution to Liverpool’s Champions League triumph last season, having been named as UEFA’s man of the match in the final against Tottenham. [via UEFA.com]
The 28-year-old defender played in 12 of the Reds’ 13 games on their European run and scored in the away wins over Bayern Munich and Porto in the knockout rounds, as well as providing two assists in the competition. [via TransferMarkt.co.uk]
The UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award was voted upon by managers of the 80 clubs who competed in the Champions League or Europa League group stage in 2018/19, along with a journalist from each of UEFA’s 55 member nations. [via UEFA.com]
Van Dijk is also the reigning PFA Player of the Year and picked up the 2018/19 UEFA Defender of the Season award as well in Monaco yesterday.
These Liverpool fans on Twitter felt that the Netherlands international was a deserving recipient of the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year accolade:
https://twitter.com/KeithChapo/status/1167124437579304960
So deserved!!!
— Anna (@LFCAnna) August 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/lronVan/status/1167124714126397441
Absolutely and thoroughly deserved.
— VorsprungdurchJürgen (@happydobbin44) August 29, 2019
So happy
— Chuks (@ChuksMultiP) August 29, 2019
Massive
— Della Strauss (@DellaDek) August 29, 2019
https://twitter.com/Cunny_lad/status/1167158775079419909
Do you think Van Dijk was a worthy winner of the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year? Can he go on to win the Ballon d’Or this year? Share your views in the comments section below!
