Van Dijk favourite to collect FIFA 'The Best' award in Milan
Awarded UEFA Player of the Season for the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk is primed to win FIFA's The Best award on Monday.
Liverpool's Virgil Van Dijk is the firm favourite to scoop this year's FIFA The Best award at the gala ceremony tomorrow night (Monday September 23) in Milan.
Since FIFA's creation of the new award in 2016, each winner of The Best has gone on to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award too with the France Football award ceremony set to take place in the French capital on December 2nd.
Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo scooped the inaugural award in 2016 and also bagged the FIFA award the following year with Real Madrid's Luka Modric the current holder of the acclaim.
Champions League win
The Dutch defender was at the heart of Liverpool's Champions League triumph in Madrid and has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world following his move to Anfield from Southampton in 2018.
Despite not claiming the Premier League trophy last season, the player was instrumental in seeing The Reds push eventual winners Manchester City all the way.
Van Dijk was also a key component in Netherlands reaching the Final Four of the inaugural UEFA Nations League competition where the 'Oranje' fell short losing to hosts Portugal in Porto.