Virgil van Dijk looking to topple Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo at FIFA awards

| 22 September 2019

The Liverpool defender pipped Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the UEFA player of the year award last month.

Virgil Van Dijk is hoping to come out on top again at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in Milan on Monday.

The Liverpool defender pipped Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the UEFA player of the year award last month and could do so again when FIFA announces its 2019 winners at the Teatro alla Scala.

Champions League winner Van Dijk was nominated on a three-man shortlist earlier this month alongside Messi and Ronaldo for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #LB2🇵🇹 #CR7🇺🇸 #AM13🇳🇱 #VVD🇺🇸 #Pinoe🇦🇷 #Messi

Here's how to follow all the stars on Monday in Milan ✨⤵️https://t.co/OKFB8ebqCw #TheBest | #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/RxmZZeHiwo

— #TheBest 🏆 (@FIFAcom) September 19, 2019

Some of the Premier League's biggest names dominate other categories, with Liverpool's Alisson Becker and Manchester City's Ederson shortlisted for the goalkeeper accolade, along with Barcelona's Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino make up the three-man shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award.

England defender Lucy Bronze – the newly-crowned UEFA women's player of the year – was shortlisted for The Best FIFA Women's Player alongside United States duo Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride) and Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC).

We had #TheBest time in London in 2017 and 2018 🇬🇧

Now, it's time for Milan 🔜🇮🇹#TheBest | #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/G9H7iIbM8f

— #TheBest 🏆 (@FIFAcom) September 19, 2019

England Women manager Phil Neville is in the final three for The Best FIFA Women's Coach, having guided the Lionesses to the World Cup semi-finals in July.

The winners of three other categories, women's goalkeeper, the FIFA Fan Award and the FIFA Puskas Award – for the best goal – will also be announced on Monday.

Real Madrid's Luka Modric (men's player), Thibault Courtois (men's goalkeeper), Didier Deschamps (men's coach) and Brazil's Marta (women's player) were among the winners at last year's award ceremony in London.