Liverpool has just achieved the first step towards having its first Ballon d’Or winner in 23 years

According to the most current Liverpool report, one is down and three remain. Liverpool took the first step toward achieving the ideal quadruple send-off for Jürgen Klopp on Sunday, and it was the Reds’ captain who pulled them over the final barrier in extra time. Virgil van Dijk, who had a goal questionably disallowed in the second half due to a block by Wataru Endō, guided his header from a Kostas Tsimikas corner expertly past Đorđe Petrović, allowing Liverpool to hold out for the last three minutes of extra time.

And, considering that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are no longer in competition for the Ballon d’Or, the Dutch international has a very good chance of winning it if Liverpool continues to win titles. A tweet from the official Liverpool account on X summarized Liverpool supporters’ reactions to certain dubious screams last season. “Narrator: He was not finished,” they tweeted, with a photo of Virgil van Dijk carrying the Carabao Cup trophy.

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Coming off a protracted period on the sidelines due to injury, most of the criticism thrown at Van Dijk last season was harsh. Many people had not realized that it would take time for him to return to his best, especially on social media, where there is a propensity to exaggerate circumstances.

And that is exactly what he has done this season. Virgil van Dijk’s aura has returned, and the guys surrounding him are doing well. His goal in the Reds’ Premier League victory over Luton Town sparked their comeback, and there is a sense that his attempt to win the Carabao Cup will not be his last this season.

Van Dijk’s name should already be at the top of the Ballon d’Or rankings. The forthcoming European Championship this summer will offer him an opportunity to solidify his position if he leads the Netherlands to victory, but it will be difficult to overlook him if Liverpool finishes the season with four titles.