Liverpool star Alisson has been named as the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper of 2019, with Netherlands counterpart Sari van Veenendaal winning the female category.
A maiden Champions League title capped off a marvellous debut season at Anfield for the Brazilian, who was also selected as the competition’s finest shot-stopper during 2018/19. He made a sizeable impact on arrival from Roma, adding reliability and assurance to a previously shaky Reds defence.
Despite missing out on the PFA Team of the Year, Alisson kept 21 clean-sheets to earn the Premier League Golden Glove.
However, it was not enough to seal Liverpool’s first title triumph since 1989, the Reds amassing an incredible 97 points, yet still missing out to the Manchester City machine.
29-year-old van Veenendaal switched to Atletico Madrid from Arsenal over the off-season, having reached the World Cup final with the Netherlands in July.
She frustrated overwhelming favourites USA for over an hour in their Lyon showdown before finally conceding to Megan Rapinoe, the winger’s second half penalty breaking Dutch resolve
Prior to that clash with the States, the Atleti keeper had conceded just three goals all tournament, collecting three clean sheets as the Netherlands battled through the knockout stages.
Without the performances of Van Veenendaal between the sticks, the Dutch would likely have suffered an early exit, yet their subpar displays were masked by the sterling efforts of their number one.
Source: 90min
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