LONDON • An unstoppable force will meet an unmovable object as Lionel Messi comes up against Virgil van Dijk tomorrow, with Liverpool travelling to Barcelona for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
But, while the Netherlands skipper is relishing putting the shackles on the Argentina talisman, the Ballon d'Or award is not a match-up he intends to win.
Speaking after being crowned the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year by his peers on Sunday, van Dijk said: "(World Player of the Year) is not something that's on my mind at all.
"There are currently players walking around in this football world that are out of this world (Messi is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner) and they've been doing it for many years.
"I'm very happy how I perform at the moment, how consistent I'm performing, that I'm fit as well. I just need to not look too far ahead."
He is the fourth Dutchman to win English football's most prestigious individual prize and the first defender since Chelsea captain John Terry in 2005.
Van Dijk's compatriot Vivianne Miedema was named Women's Player of the Year after scoring 22 times to lead Arsenal Women to their first title since 2012.
2005Â
Virgil van Dijk is the first defender since Chelsea's John Terry in 2005 to win the award.
0
No opposition player has dribbled past the Dutch defender in any of his 36 league appearances this season.
Besides facing Barcelona, Liverpool are aiming to overtake Manchester City's one-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Van Dijk, 27, said: "Right now, we're in a tight title race, (also) 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 (on Saturday) as well."
However, he admitted the accolade was "special" and said: "I'm very proud and honoured to receive it. If you see the standard of strikers or playmakers we have in the league, it's unbelievable."
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was equally thrilled for van Dijk, who joined in January last year, jokingly referencing his £75 million (S$132 million) transfer fee as "a very, very small price". He said: "I'm really proud it's the second time in a row (Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was last year's winner).
"From the first moment (of signing), I was so excited about the opportunity to work together and now you are the man - at least for this season!"
Pundits also hailed van Dijk as a worthy winner, with former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer calling him "immense", while ex-Reds midfielder Danny Murphy talked up his "tremendous blend of athleticism and powers of recovery".
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling, 24, won the PFA Young Player of the Year award and yesterday was named Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, DPA
'Sarri will be happy now' - Hazard hails Chelsea response in Huddersfield trouncing Chelsea star Eden Hazard hopes they impressed head coach Maurizio Sarri with their 5-0 This kind of game
Sarri hails stars of future as Chelsea young guns torment
Football: Bayern forward Sandro Wagner moves to China's
Apr 18, 2019 · FIFA backs English players' social media boycott over racism. Soccer players in England are backing a 24-hour boycott of social media to demand a crackdown on racial abuse on the platforms
Football News: Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with
Barcelona on verge of Liga title after beating Alaves - Reuters
Solskjaer wants Man Utd 'enjoying football again' Tigres beat Leon to lift another Liga MX title but respect between fans was more notable than the game. - United appoint Solskjaer as
Solskjaer wants Man Utd 'enjoying football - africa.espn.com
A crackdown on booming MTA overtime costs is coming — and carrying a whiff of labor unrest from transit workers. "The company brought this problem upon themselves and now they're trying to blame the workers," John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union, told THE CITY on Thursday.
The Ticking Clock of Leicester City's Youth Movement
"We are all tired after an amazing, crazy and unbelievable night," Pochettino told a news conference Spurs 'still in a dream' after Man City win, says Pochettino Home
Tottenham beat Man City in Champions League: 'We are still in
Ruben Neves stunner from 25-yards hands Jurgen Klopp's side an early FA Cup exit. Reds' hopes of a treble are over after the Portuguese ace unleashed a trademark strike from distance.
Why Jurgen Klopp has no option but to risk another early FA
The Straits Times - Get latest breaking news, business, sports, lifestyle, tech & multimedia and more news in Singapore, Asia & rest of the world at straitstimes.com.
Croatia, Hungary win to pull away in Group E | SBS News
Soccer: Infantino says he has wide support for 48-team World
Solskjaer aims veiled dig at Mourinho as he seeks to return 'entertainment and excitement' to Man Utd. Solskjaer said: "It has been a difficult season so far, of course, but throughout
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Aims to Cement Fourth Place in Premier
Klopp denies Liverpool's lighter schedule is title advantage Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp denied on Friday that his Premier League leaders will have the upper hand over Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the title race despite a lighter schedule after crashing out of both domestic cup competitions.
Klopp denies Liverpool's lighter schedule is title advantage
Jan 16, 2019 · Son Heung-min helps South Korea beat China 2-0 at Asian Cup. Son Heung-min earned a penalty and then assisted on his team's second goal to help South Korea beat China 2-0 at the Asian Cup
Son helps South Korea to win Asian Cup group, Football News
Football: Noh Rahman embracing learning curve as Home United interim coach 0:0 Comments Football: Singapore's national women's team to compete in Australia's Arafura Games 0:0 Comments NBA: Spurs overcome Nikola Jokic's 43-pt record to force Game 7 with Nuggets 0:0 Comments After Hyflux's fall, Singapore debt buyers are scrutinising these firms
Super fungus Candida auris: What you need to know about
0 comments:
Post a Comment