Virgil van Dijk has dismissed the idea he is in contention to win the Ballon d’Or award and is instead focused on dealing with ‘out of this world’ Lionel Messi.
The Liverpool centre-back was crowned PFA Players’ Player of the Year on Sunday for his standout Premier League season, but faces a tough test in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
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Van Dijk has won the top individual prize in English football this season
The 27-year-old’s rock-solid form at the heart of the Reds’ defence has helped keep his side in contention for their first league title in 29 years and seen them once again progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Spanish title-winners Barcelona await Van Dijk in the last four of the European competition, with the first leg at the Nou Camp, a game you can listen to live on talkSPORT.
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And the world’s most expensive defender admits he still has plenty to prove to be considered alongside the continent’s elite players, including Barca’s five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.
“Nah, that’s not something that’s on my mind at all,” Van Dijk replied when asked about winning the Ballon d’Or at the end of the year.
Lionel Messi secured his 10th LaLiga title with Barcelona on Saturday.
“There are currently players walking around in this football world that are out of this world basically and they’ve been doing it for many years.
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Liverpool face Messi and Barcelona, who won LaLiga at the weekend
“I’m very happy how I perform at the moment, how consistent I’m performing, that I’m fit as well. I think I just need to not look too far ahead.
“Right now we’re in a tight title race, in the Champions League semi-finals against a fantastic team, where probably the best players are playing so we just take it game by game.
“For us now it’s time to focus on Barcelona midweek and then we have a big game at Newcastle away as well so I won’t look too far ahead and the only goals I will set are personal goals with Liverpool.”
While Argentina forward Messi secured his 10th LaLiga title with Barca this weekend, Van Dijk became only the fourth defender – after Gary Pallister, Paul McGrath and John Terry – to win the PFA award.
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Van Dijk is the first defender to win the award since John Terry in 2005
Signed from Southampton for £75million in January 2018, he has played a pivotal role in turning Liverpool’s defence into the tightest in the division, conceding only 20 goals in 36 games and contributing to a league-high 20 clean sheets this term.
Jurgen Klopp’s second-placed side sit only a point behind leaders Manchester City with two fixtures remaining.
Holland international Van Dijk, part of the team beaten in last year’s Champions League final by Real Madrid, has previously spoken of becoming “a legend of Liverpool“.
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The former Celtic and Saints man feels he must lift silverware to accomplish that dream.
“All the players in the league, I think, want to play for trophies, want to get trophies,” he said.
“I can only speak for myself and my team – we definitely want to get a trophy and we’re working hard every day for it and hopefully in the future that will happen.
“That’s what we’re definitely looking for.”
Barring a major collapse from either of the duo at the start of the 2019/20 season, this year's Ballon d'Or is likely to be contested primarily by Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Most bookmakers, including Sky Bet, currently have Messi as the favourite to win the award, with his odds around 5/6.
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