The Best FIFA Football Awards
It takes something special to achieve universal recognition from the footballing world as a defender. The ability to stop goals is certainly nowhere near as eye-catching as those who create chances or put the ball in the net themselves. For this reason, Virgil van Dijk’s monumental 2018/19 is up there with the very best campaigns for a defender in living memory.
In almost three decades of FIFA’s awards recognising the globe’s top player, the top three in the running to be named the outstanding men’s footballer on the planet has consisted of a defender just four times.
Of those four, just two can be regarded as out-and-out defenders (Fabio Cannavaro, winner in 2006 and Paolo Maldini, second in 1995), as Lothar Matthaus (winner in 1991) was converted later in his career to a sweeper and Roberto Carlos (second in 1997) was certainly more focused on his attacking duties. It is needless to say then that number five, Van Dijk, is part of a rare breed.
FIFA.com sat down with the towering Liverpool and Netherlands defender, who is just as calm fielding questions as he is in the heat of a Premier League or UEFA Champions League battle against the world’s top forwards.
It takes something special to achieve universal recognition from the footballing world as a defender. The ability to stop goals is certainly nowhere near as eye-catching as those who create chances or put the ball in the net themselves. For this reason, Virgil van Dijk’s monumental 2018/19 is up there with the very best campaigns for a defender in living memory.
In almost three decades of FIFA’s awards recognising the globe’s top player, the top three in the running to be named the outstanding men’s footballer on the planet has consisted of a defender just four times.
Of those four, just two can be regarded as out-and-out defenders (Fabio Cannavaro, winner in 2006 and Paolo Maldini, second in 1995), as Lothar Matthaus (winner in 1991) was converted later in his career to a sweeper and Roberto Carlos (second in 1997) was certainly more focused on his attacking duties. It is needless to say then that number five, Van Dijk, is part of a rare breed.
FIFA.com sat down with the towering Liverpool and Netherlands defender, who is just as calm fielding questions as he is in the heat of a Premier League or UEFA Champions League battle against the world’s top forwards.
How everyone sees Jurgen Klopp on TV, that’s how he is. He’s that passionate. He wants to win every game. He wants to fight for every yard on the pitch if he were able to. He’s definitely not always smiling – and he’s definitely not always joking around!
The Best FIFA Football Awards
After an outstanding 2018/19 campaign, that saw her lift a treble with all-conquering club side Lyon, and reach a FIFA Women’s World Cup™ semi-final with England, Lucy Bronze found herself named one of the top three players in the world.
The marauding full-back may have mirrored her surname in finishing third in the running to be The Best FIFA Women’s Player – behind USA duo Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan – but she was undoubtedly a golden player at both club and international level last season, resulting in her being named in the inaugural FIFA FIFPro Women’s World11.
Bronze faces new challenges this campaign. England may already be assured of their spot at UEFA EURO 2021 as hosts, but a second appearance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament looms large for Great Britain – with the erstwhile Lionesses No2 hoping to play a key role at Tokyo 2020.
The England star caught up with FIFA.com to reminisce on her successful 2018/19 – including her star showing at France 2019.
After an outstanding 2018/19 campaign, that saw her lift a treble with all-conquering club side Lyon, and reach a FIFA Women’s World Cup™ semi-final with England, Lucy Bronze found herself named one of the top three players in the world.
The marauding full-back may have mirrored her surname in finishing third in the running to be The Best FIFA Women’s Player – behind USA duo Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan – but she was undoubtedly a golden player at both club and international level last season, resulting in her being named in the inaugural FIFA FIFPro Women’s World11.
Bronze faces new challenges this campaign. England may already be assured of their spot at UEFA EURO 2021 as hosts, but a second appearance at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament looms large for Great Britain – with the erstwhile Lionesses No2 hoping to play a key role at Tokyo 2020.
The England star caught up with FIFA.com to reminisce on her successful 2018/19 – including her star showing at France 2019.
It was my second World Cup and I remember how much excitement I had in the first one. It was nice for me to see players, at their first World Cup, how excited they were in the build-up to the game and that buzz around the camp.
Algeria
Back in August 2018, when newly appointed Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi gave his first press conference, the team he inherited were playing badly and on a run of poor results.
Yet despite the air of pessimism around the side, not helped by coming up well short in their bid to reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the new man at the helm told the media: “I'll go to Egypt and come back with the Cup of Nations.”
This statement sounded like wishful thinking at the time, but Belmadi - dubbed ‘the African Special One’ - made good on his promise, lifting the continental crown just ten months later. That African title, only the second in the country’s history and first on foreign soil, featured wins over heavyweights like Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria.
In a frank interview with FIFA.com, the coach discussed that achievement, his nomination this year for The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Back in August 2018, when newly appointed Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi gave his first press conference, the team he inherited were playing badly and on a run of poor results.
Yet despite the air of pessimism around the side, not helped by coming up well short in their bid to reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the new man at the helm told the media: “I'll go to Egypt and come back with the Cup of Nations.”
This statement sounded like wishful thinking at the time, but Belmadi - dubbed ‘the African Special One’ - made good on his promise, lifting the continental crown just ten months later. That African title, only the second in the country’s history and first on foreign soil, featured wins over heavyweights like Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria.
In a frank interview with FIFA.com, the coach discussed that achievement, his nomination this year for The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
When I’m in Algeria, I see clearly the positive impact of the African title on the lives of its people. I can't find the words to describe how happy I am about what I've given the people of my country.
#186 Djibouti on the march under Mette
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Pts. 1752
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Pts. 1725
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Pts. 1719
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USA
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Pts. 2036
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Pts. 2031
Sweden
Pts. 2020
England
Pts. 2020
Toolkit for Member Associations: With this toolkit, FIFA has established guiding principles and minimum requirements that will help leaders and organisers in our sport to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for the youngest members of the football family.
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