Virgil van Dijk: Ballon d’Or nice but team wins mean more

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Virgil van Dijk suggests he’d relish personal success if he wins the Ballon d’Or this year but his preference remains winning silverware with his Liverpool teammates.

The world’s most expensive centre-back enjoyed Champions League glory with the Reds last month, defeating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid to ease the pain of losing out to Manchester City in a gripping Premier League title race.

Dutchman van Dijk was impressive throughout last season and has been touted as a possible Ballon d’Or winner by many observers. No defender has won the prestigious France Football award since former Juventus and Real Madrid centre-back Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, the year he lifted the World Cup with Italy.

Van Dijk is pleased to be in the frame but knows what his preference would be for the 2019/20 season. “If people are talking about it – you can’t say it doesn’t do you something,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

“But it’s a subject we don’t have any influence on. I can’t change anything right now other than get fit, stay fit and that’s the situation. “Winning something like that is a dream come true for every footballer in the world. If you don’t then you just get on with it and try to perform better than last year.

“It would be fantastic, and I would be very proud. “But the main thing will be to focus on what we do all together and achieving the bigger goal – that’s getting silverware with the club.” Liverpool are 3.25 to win the Premier League title next season.

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