Virgil van Dijk Says 'You Can't Compare Me' with Lionel Messi After FIFA Awards

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has said he cannot be compared to Lionel Messi after the Barcelona superstar pipped him to the The Best FIFA Men's Player 2019 award on Monday. 

Van Dijk finished second to the Argentina forward, with Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo completing the podium:

All three were also included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI:

As far as Van Dijk is concerned, he and Messi cannot be compared, and he said he was not disappointed to finish second to the 32-year-old, per Dejan Kalinic of Goal:

"The people who vote made a decision, and you have to accept it. That's just the case, and as players you can't compare me and Messi because it's totally different. I'm very proud to be here. 

"Disappointed? You can't be disappointed. I'm just very happy to be here, to be in the team of the year, after the hard work and the good work we put in last year. Today, I unfortunately didn't win, but I'm not disappointed."

At UEFA's equivalent awards last month, the result was reversed, with Van Dijk being named Men's Player of the Year for 2018-19, and Messi finishing second.

As a result, it is tough to pick a winner for the most prestigious award of them all this year, the Ballon d'Or, which will be announced later in 2019.

Both Messi and Van Dijk have a legitimate claim to the award. 

Van Dijk was key to Liverpool's UEFA Champions League triumph in 2018-19 and their remarkable second-placed finish to Manchester City in the Premier League, while he also captained Netherlands to the final of the inaugural UEFA Nations League.

Messi, meanwhile, led Barcelona to another La Liga title and posted ridiculous numbers in the 2018-19 campaign:

If Messi lands the Ballon d'Or this year, it will be the sixth time he has won it, putting him one clear of Ronaldo at the top of the all-time list.

If Van Dijk prevails, he will be the first defender to claim the gong since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.