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
Football: Son contemplated Tottenham exit until discussion
Barcelona claimed their 13th Spanish Super Cup in style with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night in the second leg at the Camp Nou, giving the Catalonians a whopping 5-0
Real Madrid stroll to an easy win as they put pressure on
Jurgen Klopp has condemned "disgusting" racist abuse aimed at Mohamed Salah and called for lifetime bans for the Chelsea fans accused of taunting the Liverpool star. A video circulated on
Liverpool's Klopp condemns 'disgusting' Salah abuse ahead of
Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez has admitted that his team's semifinal against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday will be the most difficult match yet in the AFC Asian Cup 2019.
Japan leave Asian Cup final dressing room 'spotless' with
Real Madrid They say you should never go back. However, Mourinho has shown in the past that such an adage is one he has no time for, demonstrated by his return to Chelsea for a second stint after departing Real Madrid in May 2013.
Sacked Mourinho will be next Real Madrid - mirror.co.uk
Your Say; Football gifts but time ran out before they opted to sign Denis Suarez. That move ended badly with the Barcelona man failing to make a significant impact with Unai Emery deciding
Top-tier journalist Kristof Terreur: Unai Emery has been in
A body recovered by British investigators from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel has been identified as that of footballer Emiliano Sala, police said on Thursday.The
Emiliano Sala's Body Identified as Family Pays Tribute to
A men's volleyball match between Iran and the US in Tehran on Friday could be a key test for an easing of a ban on female spectators, but for hardliners any change will be a step too far, the BBC
England national football team - Wikipedia
(Reuters) - Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored the goal as Southampton withstood a second-half onslaught from Brighton & Hove Albion to secure a vital 1-0 Premier League victory on Saturday. The win put
Brighton 0-1 Southampton: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg strike seals
Kadir Yahaya is the current coach for Tampines Rovers. Tampines Rovers are playing in AFC Cup and Premier League this season. Tampines Rovers Premier League Match Fixtures and Results [ Home Overall Away ] Tampines Rovers have played a total of 10 matches in Singapore Premier League. Their current statistics is 4 win, 5 draw and 1 lose.
Tampines Rovers - Home United Live Streaming and TV Listings
Football News. March 7, 2019 / 8:20 PM / 3 months ago. Soccer-10-man Arsenal slump in Rennes, Sevilla held. Andrew Downie. Sevilla, who have won the Europa League three times, twice went ahead
10-man Arsenal slump in Rennes, Sevilla held - bdnews24.com
New chapter for Tottenham as stadium hosts first game. Soccer Football - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Test Event - Under 18 Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton - Tottenham Hotspur
New chapter for Tottenham as stadium hosts first game
watch premier league live streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch premier league live streaming vf
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch champions league live streaming canada
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch soccer live streaming jamaica
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch premier league live streaming youtube
watch coppa america live streaming indosiar
watch coppa america live streaming qatar
watch live english premier league online free streaming
watch soccer game live espn
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch coppa america live streaming hd
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo 7
watch champions league live streaming espn
watch indian premier league live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online
watch champions league online free live streaming hd
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch premier league live streaming live free
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch live premier league football streaming online for free iraqgoals
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming pc
super soccer tv live streaming indonesia
watch champions league live streaming cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming in india
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
free watch soccer live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
watch premier league live streaming online - soccer portal
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch arsenal southampton premier league live stream
watch champions league final live streaming online
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming youtube
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch the champions league live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch uefa champions league quarter final draw live streaming
watch uefa champions league live streaming sportek
watch champions league live streaming crictime
watch english premier league live streaming free
watch champions league draw live streaming free
super soccer tv live streaming napoli vs juventus
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live dracula
watch soccer online free streaming live
where to watch premier league live streaming
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch soccer live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch soccer online free streaming live first row
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch soccer online free streaming live uk
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch coppa america live streaming free
watch english premier league live streaming
watch english premier league live streaming online
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch premier league live streaming xbox
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch soccer live streaming juventus
watch live streaming soccer games
watch coppa america live streaming now
watch coppa america live streaming vivo
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
#coys #cr7 #manchestercity #vandijk #winner #satira #4Series #Barca #arsenal #oasisengland #jadwalbolahariini #uefanationsleague #elcasico #oasisandbeatles #lfc #premierleague #BMW #arsenalnews #copaamerica #gym #liverpoolcity #comico #arsenalfantv #visubal #leomessi #paulmcartney #Bar #league2 #soccermemes #football #cappucino #alissonbecker #henderson #bundesliga #goodday #sunderlandafc #londoncity #liverpoolfc #portsmouthfc #nikesoccer #fcbarcelona #midnight #acmilan #soccerbible #Barcelona #lionelmessi #bayernmunich #ignoranza #afcnews #footballschedule #PartyTime #Celtic #americanfootball #bayern #messi #soccer #conference #transfernews #mancity #chocolate #oasis #freekicks #bayervshoffenheim #Liamgallagher #valcea #petercrouch #romania #freekickerz #frasirap #lovefootball #gunners #manchestercity #livestreams #championsleague #Sunday #adidasslipon #coffeebreak #nutmeg #champion #nationsleague #24x7 #mancityvsliverpool #livestreaming #rockstar #realmadridcf #firmino #footballmemes #sumbertv #myfootballuniverse #linkstreaming #ucl #beatifulgame #calciatoribrutti #neymar #battuteepiche #juventus
0 Comments