Virgil van Dijk was the FASTEST player in last season’s Champions League beating Man City duo Leroy Sane and Kyle Walker – The Sun

VIRGIL VAN DIJK has continued to prove he is a cut above the rest after he was named the FASTEST player in last season’s Champions League.

The Liverpool defender who was named the competition's Player of the Year, surpassed times set by Man City duo Leroy Sane and Kyle Walker.

The Dutchman helped Jurgen Klopp's side keep a clean sheet in the memorable 4-0 semi-final comeback against Barcelona.

Van Dijk, 28, earned another shut-out against Spurs in the final as the Reds lifted the Champions League for a sixth time.

However, it was actually the 3-0 humbling at the Nou Camp where the former Southampton star clocked in a speed of 21.4 m/ph.

Despite a night to forget in Barcelona, van Dijk walked away with a personal accolade in stoppage time, with the 6'3inch star producing a gut-busting run to catch up to Lionel Messi on the counter-attack.

And this was just enough to pip City's flying winger Sane, who recorded a speed of 21.3 m/ph in the 2-1 win against Hoffenheim at the Etihad in the group stages.

It is another blow for the German speed king, who lost his title as the Premier League's quickest player to Timothy Fosu-Mensah back in May.

Yet he still did enough to edge out teammate Kyle Walker, who set a lightning dash of 21.2 m/ph against his old club Spurs in the quarter-finals.

Despite a season plagued by injuries and form, Gareth Bale still came in at number four with a time of 21 m/ph during Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Roma.

Sane also incredibly notched the joint-fifth quickest speed as well at 20.8 m/ph, alongside Schalke's Breel Embolo, and Benfica's Rafa Silva.

Interestingly, Romelu Lukaku, who has repeatedly hit back at critics calling him slow by claiming to be Manchester United's quickest player, is proven right by the stats.

The rest of the Champions League's speed kings

6: Taison v Hoffenheim | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Loris Benito v Manchester United | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Christian Fassnacht v Manchester United | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Garry Rodrigues v Schalke | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Juan Cuadrado v Manchester United | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Gabriel v Young Boys | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Maxwel Cornet v Manchester City | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Eder Militao v Roma | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Romelu Lukaku v Barcelona | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

-: Sergio Busquets v Liverpool | Top speed: 20.69 m/ph

The Inter Milan star, who got into trouble for leaking the club's records on the subject last month, set a rapid 20.69 m/ph in the clash with Barcelona at Old Trafford.

Van Dijk meanwhile has capped an incredible week following the announcement that he has joined Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the final three for Fifa's Best Men's Player award.

He has already became the first defender to win the Champions League POTY award, and will be looking to make history again later this month in Milan.

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