Topics: UEFA Champions League, UEFA Champions League draw, Lionel Messi, Virgil Van Dijk, Cristiano Ronaldo
The Dutch defender had an impressive season that led him not only to win the positional award, but the top honor granted by UEFA as well.

It was a great evening for Liverpool fans, as Virgil Van Dijk took home the biggest award of the gala by winning the UEFA Men's Player of the year Award.

Van Dijk beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the award, marking the second straight year in which neither one of these football titans claim UEFA's coveted trophy. Last year's winner, Luka Modric, was not even nominated into the Top 10 contenders to win the award.

The Dutch defender capped an eventful evening after being named as the Best Defender of the season by a panel of experts. 

Van Dijk has become the first defender in history to win the award, beating four of his team-mates with the nomination and his subsequent win in the awards' ceremony. He was the first Liverpool player to win the award since Steven Gerrard did so in the 2004-05 season, and he also became the first Premier League player to win the award since 2008. The last EPL footballer to win the award was none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.