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Virgil van Dijk: The Best Chance for a Defender to Win the Ballon d'Or Since Fabio Cannavaro

72 appearances, 39 clean sheets, seven goals, four assists, and now one Champions League. There is very little left to say about Virgil van Dijk that hasn't already been said, but the numbers speak for themselves.

There is no question that he has played a near-ineffable role in Liverpool's transformation from top-heavy top-four contenders into the street-wise powerhouse that doesn't even need to play well to lift the biggest prize in European football.

There is also no question that, defensively, there is no more effective player on the planet at present.

The Breda Behemoth has answered every question asked of him since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018, to the point that after 18 months, only one remains: is he the best player in the world?