Netherlands vs England: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink explains why Liverpool star Virgil Van Dijk may NEVER win the Ballon d’Or

Netherlands vs England: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink explains why Liverpool star Virgil Van Dijk may NEVER win the Ballon d’Or
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has explained why Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is unlikely to EVER win the Ballon d’Or.Van Dijk is set to lead the Netherlands out against England on Thursday night in Guimares in the Nations League semi-final.getty3

Playing at the back is unlikely to do Van Dijk’s chances of lifting the Ballon d’Or much good

Fans can listen to the game on talkSPORT for live commentary from 7.45pm – to see who will face Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the final on Sunday.The former Celtic colossus was instrumental in securing a sixth Champions League trophy for the Reds in Madrid and came agonisingly close to lifting the Premier League trophy.But, despite keeping 20 clean sheets and stopping every opponent dribbling past him in his past 64 appearances, Hasselbaink has explained why the PFA Player of the Year is unlikely to be recognised on the global stage.Virgil van Dijk is getting close to be one of the best Dutch defenders ever,” the Chelsea legend told betoclock.com“The last great defender we had was Jaap Stam, now we have two in Virgil and Matthijs De Ligt.getty3

Matthijs de Ligt is learning from Virgil van Dijk

“Virgil has done exceptionally in the Premier League, but now he has to maintain that level.“Hes got the potential to win the Ballon dOr, but its very hard to win it as a defender.With Manchester United flop Memphis Depay enjoying a revival in France and Georginio Wijnaldum continually impressing in midfield, this is a Dutch side to be taken seriously.But Hasselbaink is wary of placing too much pressure upon the shoulders of this young Oranje side.getty3

Former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink knows an imperious defender when he sees one

The future looks really, really bright for Netherlands,” he added. “Lots of young players are coming through, who are playing week in week out, at the likes of Ajax.“Theyre playing at the highest level too, in Champions League semi-finals, and Dutch football is doing so well. They drew to Germany and are now in the semi-final of the Nations League.The only thing theyre missing is an out-and-out striker to become even better, but Memphis Depay has filled that gap superbly.“To progress, we firstly need to qualify for European Championships. We didnt qualify for the last Euros or World Cup.“Once thats done, we need to try and get as far as possible and then build on it. The team is young so the tournament after that, you go and try to get further.

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With three points to make up in the race for the top four, Chelsea have the statistically smallest chance of securing Champions League football through their Premier League place this season. Verdict

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Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to double the wages of Chelsea winger Eden Hazard, who is expected to move to the Bernabeu in the coming days. Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to hand Eden
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The US Women's National Soccer Team kicks off their campaign for a fourth World Cup trophy this Tuesday at 3 PM with an opening match against Thailand. Although many of the games will take place in the early afternoon during office hours, a number of bars and restaurants around the city are opening early and airing the tournament.
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Manchester United stars are 'openly joking' about reports linking Paul Pogba with a summer transfer to Real Madrid.. The 26-year-old has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the LaLiga giants and has asked to leave Old Trafford.
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Real Madrid have completed the signing of Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt, with the highly-rated striker penning a six-year contract with the Blancos. The 21-year-old Serbia international emerged as one of the most sought-after talents in European football during the 2018-19 campaign.
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