It summed up the reactionary nature of modern football that some eyebrows were raised when Virgil van Dijk was named in the 2022 FIFA FIFPRO TheBest Men's World XI last week.
The Liverpool star was on hand at the glitzy ceremony in Paris to pick up his award alongside Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Casemiro as he was recognised for a spectacular 2021/22 campaign where he won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup before helping Jurgen Klopp's side to the Champions League final after a 92-point Premier League campaign.
That the gong was scooped less than a week after Liverpool's 5-2 humbling at home to Real Madrid in the last 16 of the European Cup inevitably led to some muted scoffing online, however. Van Dijk? He's not the player he was, goes the theory.
