The GOAT wins as Fifa nutmegs Van Dijk

THE GOAT: Argentina and FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi after receiving the Fifa Men's Player of the Year award in Milan on Monday night. - AFP

Dubai - Lionel Messi named Fifa Men's Player of the Year as Liverpool centre-back misses out

There's no begrudging the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) - Lionel Messi, after he held aloft a seventh trophy for individual excellence. The Argentine, on Monday night, was voted by his peers as the Men's Player of the Year, at the Fifa Awards.
His numbers speak for themselves - 54 goals in 58 matches, which also included being the top goal scorer in the Champions League last season with 12 goals. The 32-year-old Barcelona ace also plundered 36 goals to win the European Golden Shoe, and also lead the Catalans to the La Liga, apart from guiding Argentina to a Copa America bronze.
"I want to thank those who decided to give me this recognition," Messi said at the ceremony held at Milan's iconic La Scala Opera House, where Cristiano Ronaldo, the other nominee, was conspicuous by his absence.
But there was strong case for Dutchman Virgil van Dijk to get the accolade. The 28-year-old, not long ago an unheralded centre-back at Southampton, became a colossus at Liverpool.
He lent the wall, the defensive foil to the 'heavy metal' and 'gegenpressing' Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's men waltzed their way to be crowned the 'Kings of Europe.'
Van Dijk, who won the Uefa European Player of the Year award by beating the likes of Messi and the other GOAT - Cristiano Ronaldo - had a monumental season with the Anfield side, keeping an astonishing 29 clean sheets in 59 games. It's no easy feat, that, especially for a defender in this age of attacking and high-end football.
And for that very reason, van Dijk deserved to win that piece of metal.
Perhaps, it has something to do with mindsets, mindsets that strikers and playmakers are goal scorers, they are flamboyant, they are stylish, they are geniuses, they are heroes.
People talk more about their skills, how they score goals and how it alters the outcome of a game. It is very rare to see anyone talk about or even heap praise on a defender who has tackled, withstood an onslaught, and not let a striker get past him.
The next award up for grabs is the Balloon D'Or in December and hopefully, a towering defender will win it rather than a pint-sized striker or playmaker.
Thankfully, the Fifa Men's Coach of the Year was rightfully won by German Jurgen Klopp. The effervescent Liverpool gaffer has created a crack team over the past four years that culminated in The Reds running Manchester City close, in the Premiership, and winning a sixth Champions League crown.
Joining Klopp was his last line of defence - Alisson Becker, the Brazilian shot stopper claiming the Goalkeeper of the Year.
The 26-year-old, signed from Roma, has solved Liverpool's frailties of the past and has complemented van Dijk and his backline.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 

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