Results of a 252-player vote in the Bundesliga has revealed the best attackers, goalkeepers and defenders, and Virgil van Dijk has finished lower than expected.Going back two or three years, and the Dutchman would be the undisputed choice as the best defender in the game.A serious ACL injury and a tough 2022-23 season have questioned that position, and many even feel he has fallen from grace.Perhaps not being helped out by his struggling Liverpool teammates, the 31-year-old would admit that he has been below his own standards in the past 12 months.The centre-back only ranks as the fourth-highest rated defender, in the opinions of the Bundesliga players, with only 6% of the vote.This data comes via Kicker.

Which players rank higher than Van Dijk?

Real Madrid pair David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger were both voted as better defenders than the Netherlands international.

Former Bayern Munich star, Alaba, was part of the Madrid squad that defeated van Dijk's Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final.

Despite the rise in recognition for John Stones over the 2022-23 campaign, the Manchester City defender finished one place behind his Premier League rival.

Stones' club teammate, Rúben Dias, has been given the honour of being named the best defender in the world by the voting committee.

A vital part of the City treble-winning side, the Portuguese star was a rock at the back and provided a calming presence whenever he played.

The results aren't even close with Dias securing almost a quarter of the votes.

31.2% of players either voted 'other' or did not specify.

So move over van Dijk, there's a new star defender in the Premier League.

Who were the other winners?

Perhaps due to his connection to the German league, Erling Haaland accumulated over 50% of the votes for the best attacker in the world.

This comes after a 52-goal haul across all competitions in his debut season at the Etihad.

He leaves Kylian Mbappe in his wake as the PSG striker only managed a 13.1% share of the vote.

World Cup winner, Lionel Messi, managed a very small fraction of votes at only 3.2%.

Thibaut Courtois was named as the best shot-stopper with 45.6% and no one else even close.

Barcelona's Marc-Andre Ter Stegen had to settle for second place despite only conceding 20 goals in La Liga during 2022-23.