With the end of the year fast approaching, players of the year lists and awards season is in full swing.
And there’s not many that have as high a profile as the ‘GOAL50’ annual awards from goal.com. This list is voted on by followers of the GOAL website and employs a unique voting system, where supporters vote on a series of head-to-head clashes between players to make up the final standings.
This year’s list contained no less than six players from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.
They were as follows:
Mohamed Salah – 9thÂ
Virgil Van Dijk – 19th
Luis Diaz – 31stÂ
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 32nd
Darwin Nunez – 33rd
Fabinho – 35th
Based on how the positions were filled, if you were to make a starting eleven from the list, the only LFC players represented would be Trent Alexander-Arnold (as the highest placed right back) and Virgil Van Dijk (as the highest placed centre back). This is despite Liverpool reaching the Champions League final again and even Mohammed Salah breaking into the top 10 – with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Erling Haaland taking up the three positions up top.
Some other interesting placements on the list include former Liverpool and current Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane, who came in 10th, while Liverpool-linked Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham placed 20th.
Some notable exclusions from the list include Alisson Becker, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois taking the spot for highest placed GK in 18th, and no space for Scotland captain Andy Robertson, with Real Madrid’s David Alaba the highest placed left back in 21st.
