Not since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 has a defender won the most coveted individual honour in world football for leading Italy to win the FIFA World Cup.
Since Cannavaro won in 2006 all four of the subsequent Ballon d’or winners have either been midfielders or forwards with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi winning it five times apiece while Kaka won it in 2007 before Luca Modric’s triumph last year.
This year’s award will be keenly contested once again as Messi and Ronaldo are in with a shout while Van Dijk’s impressive performances for club and country has put him firmly in the midst of potential winners.
Van Dijk won last season’s PFA Player of the Year and also helped Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League while helping Netherlands to the Nations League final, where they lost out to Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Ahead of the Ballon d’or gala in Milan on September 23, Van Dijk has led the clarion call for defenders to be given as much recognition as their fellow forwards.
“To get the PFA Player of the Year is a fantastic honour,” Van Dijk told Liverpool’s official website, “it’s the highest honour you can get because it’s voted by your fellow peers.
“I said it back then as well, I would trade it for the Champions League. Luckily, I didn’t have to.
“It’s an honour if people are talking about [the Ballon d’Or], but what can I do? I have no influence on anything.
“I can’t deny I had a pretty good season last year, so the only thing I can do now is just focus on the new season, getting fit, stay fit and hopefully get an even better season than I had last year.
“I can understand the fact that normally strikers or No. 10’s win these awards because it’s more attractive to see. But maybe the time has come to change it.”
