This archive report was first published on 22 December 2019.
December 22, 2019, marked a night of great disappointment for Virgil van Dijk as he missed out on the Ballon d'Or award to Lionel Messi. The 28-year-old Dutch defender had been a strong contender for the title, but ultimately finished second in the poll.
Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool from Southampton two years ago for a reported £75 million, admitted that he had thought he would be bringing the award back to Anfield. However, he still travelled to the awards ceremony in Paris, where he met Messi and received his respect.
"I was slightly disappointed," Van Dijk said. "But I decided I would still go to the ceremony – and, in the end, it was a super night."
Despite missing out on the award, Van Dijk was proud to be considered among the world's top footballers. He spoke to Messi during the evening, although their conversation was brief due to the Argentine's limited English.
"It was still enough to make me realise that the respect between us now also runs the other way," Van Dijk said.
Van Dijk has been a key player for Liverpool since joining the club, and he credits the team's close-knit atmosphere for his success. "This Liverpool bunch is phenomenally close together," he said. "In my opinion, Liverpool are one big family – and that is why this club suits me so much."
Van Dijk also praised his teammates, including Sadio Mane, who he described as the funniest player in the team. He also revealed that his best friend, Gini Wijnaldum, delivered an emotional speech before the Champions League Final against Tottenham in Madrid, which helped rally the team to a 2-0 victory.
