Virgil van Dijk admitted that 2019 could have ended with an even more resounding note. On Saturday, Liverpool secured their third trophy. Van Dijk competed for the Ballon d'Or award this year, but narrowly lost out to Lionel Messi. In an interview, the Dutchman revealed that he personally hoped to win this award. "I was a bit disappointed," Van Dijk said about the Ballon d'Or voting. "I knew I didn't win, but still decided to attend the ceremony, because, despite not winning the award, the evening was truly exceptional." "I still think that being among the greatest football icons is a great achievement," the defender continued. Speaking about Lionel Messi, who won the award, Van Dijk added: "I talked to Messi, but the conversation didn't last long, because he hardly speaks English. Nevertheless, a brief conversation was enough for us to understand that we both respect each other."
