Virgil Van Dijk Receives Goal 50 Award

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Reign FC’s Megan Rapinoe have been named the best footballers in the world in Goal’s annual Goal 50 awards.

Now in its 12th year, Goal 50 is the publisher’s annual celebration of the fifty best players in the world. This year is the first to equally honor male and female players with a list of the top 25 female players, alongside the list of top 25 male players to make up a total of, you know, 50.

For what it’s worth, the list was result of a vote from Goal’s network of 500 correspondents and based on players performances over the past 12 months.

When receiving his award, Van Dijk said:

“I am very proud to have been named at No.1 on the Goal 50 for 2019. To be recognized among the great players in world football is very special for me, but it can only happen with the success of our team. I am thankful to my team-mates because without them these kind of awards are not possible.”

Rapinoe said, “It is a privilege to be named alongside so many great players and to receive this year’s Goal 50 award. However, it is a privilege which is only possible due to strength and talent of the other women who join me on this list.”

On the men’s list, Van Dijk is followed by Lionel Messi and Mohammed Salah in 2nd and 3rd place respectively, while Cristiano Ronaldo is 4th.

In a year which saw Liverpool win the Champions League and go close to winning the Premier League title, the club’s players dominate the 2019 Goal 50.

Van Dijk and Salah are joined by team mates Sadio Mane (5th), Alisson Becker (7th), Trent Alexander Arnold (15th), Roberto Firmino (17th), and Andy Robertson (23rd).

The Premier League is the best represented league on the list, with 13 of the 25 positions occupied by Premier League players. LaLiga has five players on the list, followed by the Bundesliga with three and Serie A with two.