The defender was recently crowned UEFA's best player for this year
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.
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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.
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About the author
Jidonu Mauyon
Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.
Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.
In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.