Jurgen Klopp felt Virgil van Dijk was unlucky to finish second behind Lionel Messi at the 2019 Ballon d'Or awards, but was pleased to see his performances praised by AC Milan great Franco Baresi after the ceremony.
Van Dijk helped Liverpool win the Champions League and finish runners-up in the Premier League with a record points haul in 2018-19, earning widespread praise for his performances in the heart of the defence.
The 28-year-old was rewarded for his exploits when he was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year back in August, with many experts tipping him to go on and become the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or since Fabio Cannavaro back in 2006.