(CNN) Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and compatriot Vivianne Miedema pulled off an unprecedented double at the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) awards Sunday, becoming the first winners of both the men's and women's Player of the Year awards to hail from the same country.

The Liverpool defensive stalwart, who has been instrumental in his team's title challenge this season, came to the club for a record $97 million transfer fee. He inherits the trophy from the 2018 winner and his club teammate, Mohamed Salah.

The award is the result of voting from the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs, and van Dijk said in an interview shortly after being named the 2019 winner that it was "the highest honor you can get as a player, to get voted player of the year by the players you play against, every week. It's special."

The award is made all the sweeter by the rarity of players in his position who have won it. In the 27-year history of Premier League, only two defenders, John Terry and Paul McGrath, have previously claimed the award.

Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk acknowledges supporters during Liverpool's game against Huddersfield

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