Van Dijk is not Europe's best defender

Virgil van Dijk has just won the UEFA Best Player title. But, there is a study calling Van Dijk not number one but Niklas Sule.

Van Dijk won the title by beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His performance at the back was the key to Liverpool's success in the Champions League.

In addition, Van Dijk was able to bring Liverpool to win the most clean sheets in the English League, which is 21 times, and can not be passed by opposing players throughout the season.

With such brilliant performances, it's no wonder he is called the best defender in Europe at the moment. However, a recent study released by the CIES Football Observatory said that van Dijk was not the best.

The study, conducted since March 2019, uses a unique algorithm that ranks players according to match after match. The assessment also takes into account the productivity and efficiency of players on the field, both at the individual and collective level.

In addition this study also uses data from OptaPro. Furthermore, by considering a number of performance variables, this study generates value for each player who has an adequate appearance.

As a result, Van Dijk received a score of 90.5 out of 100 points scored by the CIES Fotball Observatory. This value puts the Dutchman in second place, under Sule.

The Bayern Munich defender got a score of 92.1 and made him the best European defender and player

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