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Liverpool star nominated for FIFPRO World 11 award
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- Liverpool star nominated for FIFPRO World 11 award
Liverpool star nominated for FIFPRO World 11 award
Virgil van Dijk World 11 Nomination Highlights Liverpool Captain's Lasting Influence
Virgil van Dijk is 35 and Liverpool are still leaning on him harder than anyone else. That is the simple truth. While teams talk about rotation, load management and protecting senior players, Van Dijk keeps playing. And keeps delivering.
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His latest recognition reflects that. The Liverpool captain has been named among the 26 finalists for the 2026 Men's World 11, a shortlist decided by more than 26,000 professional footballers from 75 countries. For a centre-back who has spent the last two seasons carrying a huge physical and tactical burden, it is a serious nod from the people who matter most, the players themselves.
Van Dijk workload remains extraordinary
The numbers are stark. Van Dijk played every minute of Liverpool's 2025/26 Premier League campaign, the only outfield player in the division to manage it. He finished with 55 appearances in all competitions, the highest total of his Liverpool career.
Nothing has slowed since. He has played every minute of Liverpool's opening nine Premier League matches this season and has looked back at his best alongside Jeremy Jacquet. At a club that has gone through change, that consistency matters. A lot.
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International football has added more mileage. Van Dijk completed all 90 minutes in the Netherlands' four Nations League fixtures across September and October, and scored in the 2-2 draw at Greece on October 1. Then came another landmark in the 2-1 win over Serbia in Eindhoven on October 4, his 100th cap for his country, making him the 11th Dutch man to reach that figure.
“Focus on ourselves” – Virgil van Dijk sends strong message to Liverpool teammates
Photo: IMAGO
FIFPRO World 11 recognition carries weight
This award is not built on hype. The finalists were chosen for performances between August 4, 2025 and July 19, 2026, with each player needing at least 30 official appearances in that period. That span included the World Cup, where Van Dijk captained the Netherlands through an unbeaten group stage before Morocco knocked them out on penalties in the round of 32.
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The final World 11 will include a goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, plus one additional outfield player with the next highest vote total. The team will be announced on Monday, November 9, from 14:00 CET.
Liverpool captain keeps elite company
Van Dijk has history here. He was selected in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. That put him level with Iker Casillas, Kevin De Bruyne and John Terry on five appearances, with only nine players recording more selections since the award began in 2005.
That latest nomination places him among defenders including Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Gabriel, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano. He is the only Liverpool player on the 26-man shortlist.
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That tells its own story. Liverpool have other important players, but when it comes to reliability, authority and elite-level output, Van Dijk remains the reference point. At 35, he is still setting the standard.
