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The Top 25 Players In World Football For 2018-19 Season Have Been Ranked

The Top 25 Players In World Football For 2018-19 Season Have Been Ranked

Dutch star Virgil van Dijk helped transform "Liverpool's porous defence into one of the best back-lines in the world," according to Goal.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

Virgil van Dijk has beaten fierce competition from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to be crowned the best player of the 2018-19 season.

Goal compiled its picks for the top 25 male players in world football and placed the Liverpool star at the top of the pile.

Van Dijk, 28, had a magnificent outing last season as he played an instrumental role in guiding Liverpool to second in the Premier League and capturing the Champions League crown.

And the Dutch centre-back also scooped the PFA Players' Player of the Year award alongside being named UEFA Men's Player of the Year.

Barcelona superstar Messi finished second after a season of highs and lows with the Spanish club.

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The 32-year-old Argentine forward fired Barcelona to the La Liga title, but he also suffered heartbreak at they were dumped out of the Champions League in Liverpool's sensational semi-final comeback.

Messi, who is tipped to challenge Van Dijk for the Ballon d'or, also finished last season by capturing his sixth European Golden Shoe and being named the Best FIFA Men's Player.

Ronaldo, who enjoyed a successful debut season in Italy with Juventus, came fourth behind Mohamed Salah.

Posted below are Goal's 25 best male players of 2019.

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25. Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

24. Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)

23. Andy Robertson (Liverpool)

22. Dusan Tadic (Ajax)

21. Harry Kane (Tottenham)

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20. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

19. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/Barcelona)

18. Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)

17. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)

16. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

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15. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

14. Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

13. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

12. Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax/Juventus)

11. Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Real Madrid)

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10. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

9. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

8. Frenkie de Jong (Ajax/Barcelona)

7. Alisson (Liverpool)

6. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

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5. Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

3. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

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According to Goal, Van Dijk's "perfect blend of technique and physique" helped him transform "Liverpool's porous defence into one of the best back-lines in the world."

The publication continued: "Not a single player managed to dribble past Van Dijk last season, and the way in which he shut down Son Heung-min and Harry Kane during a man of the match-winning display in the Champions League final represented the crowning achievement of a truly regal campaign from the men's 2019 Goal 50 winner."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, Alisson, Football, Lionel Messi, Virgil Van Dijk, Bernardo Silva, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Frenkie De Jong, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raheem Sterling