This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

Virgil van Dijk has cemented himself as one of, if not the best defender in the world in the past year or so.

The Netherlands international had a fantastic term last time out, helping Liverpool win the Champions League whilst also contributing to their second-place Premier League finish as the Reds pushed eventual champions Manchester City all the way. The Anfield outfit conceded just 22 goals in 38 games, the lowest in the division, and the 28-year-old was paramount to that success. As such, he as been recognised by Goal, who have awarded him top spot in their Goal 50 ranking.

However, he wasn't the only player to impress for the European champions last season. Sadio Mane, along with Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, topped the Premier League's goalscoring charts with 22 strikes. Not only that, but he bagged four goals in that European run, whilst also providing three assists.

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He also helped Senegal to the final of the African Cup of Nations, scoring three times before they eventually lost to Algeria. Van Dijk, too, helped his side to a showpiece, but the Netherlands were beaten 1-0 by Portugal in the final of the UEFA Nations League.

Had the award been given out just for last term, then van Dijk would have rightly pipped the former Southampton man to the top prize, albeit only just. However, it has been given for the entirety of the 2019 calendar year, and this term Mane has stolen a march on the 28-year-old.

Liverpool may be top of the Premier League, but they have not not always performed fantastically as the previous term, especially defensively. In the 17 games van Dijk has started, Jurgen Klopp's side have failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 of them. He has had nowhere near the same influence on the side, and it has often been the attack that has won Liverpool matches rather than their sturdy backline.

£108m-rated Mane - as per Transfermarkt - though, has arguably hit new heights this campaign. In his first 16 matches of the season, he has 11 goals and has also contributed four assists. Such has been his form, Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player in the game's history, voted for him for FIFA's The Best award recently.

No-one is suggesting that van Dijk is not a star player, but Mane can be a little underwhelmed by the fact he has not been ranked higher than not only him, but also Salah, who finished third.

Hopefully, he will soon receive the recognition he deserves.