Virgil van Dijk’s display against Tottenham was as solid as so many others he has put in over the course of a season to remember.

Being the world’s most expensive defender never seems to weigh heavy on the Holland international’s shoulders, which is why his peers voted him the PFA Player of the Year.

Asked if his man-of-the-match display in Madrid points to the fact he could even be crowned the world’s best for 2019, Van Dijk said: “I think (Lionel) Messi is the best player in the world.

“I think he deserves it as long as he plays, so the Ballon d’Or is not something I’m definitely thinking about.”

Hear what else the Liverpool defender had to say of his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or in the video above