Van Dijk wins the title of player of the year of UEFA

Virgil Van Dijk believes that his passion for goal prevention, his excellent training and his "world-class strikers" helped him become the first defenseman to win the title of player of the year on Thursday. # 39; UEFA.

The 28-year-old Dutchman comfortably beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have won the prize five times. A poll was decided by the coaches of the 32 teams qualified for the group stage of the Champions League and 55 football journalists.

Signed from Southampton in January 2018 for £ 75 million, Van Dijk He was named MVP of the PFA and Premier League last season. He was also the man of the match when Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid to win his sixth European title.

And now, he can add two more gongs to his collection, since he was named, unsurprisingly, Europe's best advocate at the awards ceremony in Monaco, which doubled the draw at fate of the Champions League.

Van Dijk said, "I'm very proud to have received the honor of this award – the other two guys are world-class players who have been playing it for years.

"I have been a defender since I was very young. I love when good attackers do not score against me. Preventing goals is my passion

"As an advocate, the experience and hard work allow you to improve. In training, I am against world-class attackers, who make things very difficult week after week.

"They make me better and I improve them. That's what I see, at least. It's an excellent environment. "

One of the key statistics attached to LiverpoolThe championship title of the Champions League last season was that Van Dijk has never been beaten in a face-to-face battle all season. But he was also recorded as the fastest player in the competition, with the second highest number of clearances and two goals.

When asked if having a defender for a coach in Liverpool at Jurgen Klopp was an advantage, he said: "I have also Ronald Koeman with the national team. He was also a very good player.

"It's an advantage that I have excellent managers. Fantastic managers with whom I can learn, on and off the field. That's what I'm trying to do. I watch, listen and try to take everything.

On a nice night for Liverpool rearguard, Alisson Becker was named UEFA goalkeeper of the year for a UEFA Champions League campaign that allowed him to retain six draws in 13 games and eight important stops in the final.

"It was an incredible season with two titles for me individually with the Champions League and Copa America (with Brazil)," he told reporters.

"The Liverpool coaches really helped me and I look forward to another season. No more work, like last season, to achieve great things. That's why I play football. "

But the first prize of the evening was awarded to Eric Cantona, one of the best players in Liverpool.

The great Manchester United won the President's Award for his contribution to the game, on and off the field, and he respected his reputation as a non-conformist by categorically ignoring the dress code and delivering a speech reminding many people of his famous reference to seagulls and trawlers. .

Subsequently, he said: "It was very subjective but I am happy, it is a great honor.

"Football is not subjective: when we play, the best wins. It was different but I am very happy.