Former Liverpool goalkeeper and club legend Ray Clemence has said that Virgil van Dijk should win the Ballon d’Or this year.
The Dutch centre-back earned rave reviews for his performances last season as the Reds finished second in the Premier League and lifted the Champions League trophy.
Jurgen Klopp’s side finished the year with the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues, conceding just 22 goals in 38 games, and van Dijk’s influence played a huge part in that achievement.
Van Dijk also captained Holland to the final of the Nations League, but finished as a runner-up after losing to Portugal.
His impressive season has led to Clemence, 70, believing van Dijk should be rewarded with the biggest individual prize in football.
Speaking to Goal, Clemence said:
Who had the biggest influence for Liverpool over the full year? I would say it was Van Dijk. There’s an obsession with attacking and creative players winning it.
It is more difficult to create and score goals but when you have an influence over a side like Van Dijk had last season, it wasn’t just what he did, it was what he gave. I think he should be a very strong contender for it.
No defender has won the Ballon d’Or since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, while only three defenders have won it in the 63-year history of the award.
Van Dijk played 50 games in all competitions in 2018/19, contributing to 27 clean sheets and scoring six goals.
