Liverpool centre-back Virgil Van Dijk has pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award.

The Netherlands international also emerged as the defender of the season after a brilliant 2018-19 campaign that saw the Reds win the Champions League, and it wasn’t surprising to see him walk away with both prizes.

Van Dijk was solid for Liverpool during the group and knock-out stages, particularly playing a vital role to help them to a clean sheet in the 4-0 thumping of Barcelona in the second-leg of the semis and also emerging as the official man-of-the-match against Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

The Reds star picked up 305 points during the voting process, a return considerably more than Messi’s 207 points and Ronaldo’s 74 points.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright approved of VVD’s emergence as POTY, and here is how he reacted to announcement on Twitter:

Well deserved