OFFICIAL: Virgil van Dijk named UCL Defender of the Season

Virgil van Dijk has been named Defender of the Season for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has won the Defender of the Season award for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League campaign.

The 28-year-old Dutchman was a colossus as the Reds won their sixth European Cup, and was named man of the match following his imperious performance in the decider in Madrid. Van Dijk also scored key goals on the way to the final, using his height and presence at both ends.

Defender of the Season top ten

1 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – 349 points

2 Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax, now Juventus) – 205 points

3 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – 29 points

4 Andy Robertson (Liverpool) – 16 points

5 Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) – 14 points

6 Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham) – 12 points 

7 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) – 8 points

8= Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham) – 5 points

8= Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) – 5 points

8= Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) – 5 points

Van Dijk's 2018/19 in numbers

Honours: UEFA Champions League, Premier League runner-up, UEFA Nations' League runner-up

Individual accolades: UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, PFA Players' Player of the Season, Liverpool Players' and Fans' Player of the Season

UEFA Champions League

Appearances: 12

Minutes: 1080

Clean sheets: 5

Goals conceded: 12

Goals: 2

Assists: 2

Domestic league

Appearances: 38

Goals: 4