Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk is on the shortlist for UEFA’s Player of the Year award for the 2018/2019 season.
He is joined on the list by Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
Van Dijk, 28, was instrumental in helping Liverpool win the Champions League, while Messi scored 36 goals in 34 games as Barcelona won La Liga. Ronaldo helped Juventus to an eighth successive league title by scoring 21 goals.
England’s Lucy Bronze is on the women’s award shortlist, along with her Lyon teammates Ada Hegerberg and Amandine Henry. The trio helped the club win the Women’s Champions League as well as the domestic league and cup.
Hegerberg scored 20 goals in 20 appearances last season and became the first female player to score a hat trick in a Women’s Champions League final.
Hegerberg was the first recipient of the women’s Ballon d’Or last year.
The winners will be named during the group stage draw for the Champions League in Monaco on Thursday, August 29.
