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Virgil van Dijk beats Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo to be named UEFA Men's Player of the Year

Van Dijk beats Messi, Ronaldo to be named UEFA Men's Player of the Year
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The Holland international helped Liverpool win the Champions League last season.

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.

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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General view of Bolton Wanderers' University of Bolton Stadium taken 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Arsenal19116238172139
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford197393335-224
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276
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