Players’ player winner Van Dijk reluctant to be classed among ‘out of this world’ performers
Virgil van Dijk has dismissed talk of winning the Ballon d’or and insists he is fully focused on attempting to shackle “out of this world” Lionel Messi in the Champions League.
Liverpool centre-back Van Dijk has been the English Premier League’s standout performer this season and was crowned PFA Players’ Player of the Year on Sunday evening.
The former Celtic stopper’s rock-solid form at the heart of the Liverpool defence has helped keep his side in contention for their first league title in 29 years and once again progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Spanish title-winners Barcelona await in the last four of the European competition, starting with tomorrow’s first leg at the Nou Camp.
The world’s most expensive defender admits he still has plenty to prove to be considered alongside the continent’s elite players, including Barca’s five-time Ballon d’or winner Messi.
“Nah, that’s not on my mind at all,” said Van Dijk, 27, when asked about winning the Ballon d’or at the end of the year.
“There are players walking around in this football world that are out of this world basically and they’ve been doing it for many years.
“I’m very happy how I perform at the moment, how consistent I’m performing, that I’m fit as well. I think I just need to not look too far ahead.
“Right now we’re in a tight title race, in the Champions League semi-finals against a fantastic team, where probably the best players are playing so we just take it game by game.
“For us now it’s time to focus on Barcelona and then we have a big game at Newcastle so I won’t look too far ahead and the only goals I will set are personal goals with Liverpool.”
While Messi secured his tenth Laliga title with Barca at the weekend, Van Dijk became only the fourth defender – after Gary Pallister, Paul Mcgrath and John Terry – to win the PFA award.
A member of the team beaten in last year’s Champions League final by Real Madrid, he has previously spoken of becoming “a legend of Liverpool”, but he feels he must lift silverware to accomplish that dream. “All the players in the league, I think, want to play for trophies,” he said. “We definitely want to get a trophy and we’re working hard every day for it.”