Lionel Messi was the surprise winner of the FIFA men’s player of the year award at a ceremony in Milan on Monday evening.
After winning the UEFA men’s award last month, it was widely thought that Virgil Van Dijk would claim this honour after his outstanding 2018/9 season.
A sign of a great player is making those around him better and that is exactly what the Dutchman did by instilling a new level of confidence in the defensive unit and leading them to the Champions League trophy.
But despite being humbled by Van Dijk and co. at Anfield in the second leg of the Champions League semi final, the Argentinian did not see fit to put Van Dijk in his top three for the award.
The Mirror reported that Messi voted for Sadio Mane, arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo and former Ajax starlet and current teammate Frenkie De Jong.
Conversely, Van Dijk who was selected alongside Alisson in the Men’s World 11, put the Argentinian as his first choice, with Mane and Mo Salah in the other two slots.
There is always a fair bit of politics ( and daresay a bit of ego) in these awards.
So could it be that Lionel could not bare to put down the name of his main competitor for the award?
Who knows, and knowing how calmly ‘big Virg’ conducts himself, he will hardly lose sleep over it.
All he will want is a big trophy come the middle of May.
As we all do.
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