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#1 Virgil Van Dijk
In 2018, we witnessed the end of the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly as Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric defied the odds and beat the duo to be crowned the best male footballer of the year. We could witness something of a similar nature this season, with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk also emerging as a serious candidate to claim the accolade.
The Dutchman was nothing short of spectacular for Liverpool last season, producing rock-solid performances from the heart of the defence to keep the team rolling. He was highly influential as the Reds ran riot on their way to claim the Champions League trophy. Not one player who faced the Dutchman was able to dribble past van Dijk throughout the campaign.
After ending up as the PFA Player of the Year for the term, the centre-back was recently honoured with the UEFA Player of the Year award. With FIFA's The Best award gala coming up this month, it'd be interesting to see if Van Dijk can become the next defender to be crowned the best player in the world since Fabio Cannavaro did it in 2006. As it stands, the Dutchman seems to be favourite for the accolade.
