Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been named the UEFA Men’s Player of the year. Van Dijk beats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the award for the first time following last season’s heroic Champions League success.
Van Dijk led Liverpool’s defense to the UEFA Champions League title and captained the Netherlands to the Nations League final.
The 28-year-old Dutch defender had a sensational season in his first full campaign at Liverpool after his move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk’s Liverpool colleague Alisson Becker won the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year award, and his Dutch international teammate Frenkie De Jong was named as the Midfielder of the Year.
The three-man Men’s Player shortlist was decided following votes from a jury of 80 coaches of the clubs that began the Champions League (32) and Europa League (48) group stages last season, as well as one journalist from each of the 55 UEFA member associations.
Van Dijk’s Liverpool teammates Alisson, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah made the top 10 – coming in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Others are Eden Hazard, Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Raheem Sterling.
In the women’s award, Bronze starred at right back for Lyon in the women’s Champions League as they won everything possible.
Bronze also won the silver ball as the second best player at the women’s World Cup this summer as England reached the semifinals in France.
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