Virgil van Dijk is now famously known as one of the best center backs in the world and has a strong case for being called “first among equals.” But getting there was not easy.
Even Van Dijk, the player in question, when he was younger, could not have guessed how quickly his career would grow. How, though, has Van Dijk become so successful?
After starting out at Willem II’s youth academy, the 27-year-old Dutch player went on to play for FC Groningen.
In just 10 years, Virgil van Dijk went from being a pot washer to the most expensive defender in the world and back again.
He was never at ease during his growing years. The first thing to note is that growing bigger was not easy.
“I did not feel very stable on my knee.” It hurt in my lower back. In his most recent chat with BBC Radio 5 Live, he talked about how he had a lot of problems before he went to real therapy and shut himself off from the world for six weeks. “My performance on the field got better after that.”
But Van Dijk, who was still young, was not playing in the middle of the defense like he usually does. Like many of his countrymen, he would move from one job to another. For example, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s brutal successes in the area are easier to understand if you know that he started out as a goalkeeper.
When it came to Van Dijk, it was not that bad. A job move was never going to happen because he was stuck at right back and was not exactly a model modern full-back. Defense has always been his strong suit.
He was a slow right back who was not good enough to play center back when he was sixteen, he said. Before I was captain of the U19 team at Willem II, I was a good player who did not really stand out.
After that, things got a lot better. After my short time with the U23s, things went very quickly.
It did go by quickly. He made FC Groningen’s first team and played in 66 games. Throughout his career, he showed signs of promise.
With seven goals scored in open play or from dead balls, Van Dijk showed that he was both a dangerous attacker and a great defender who could read the game and beat attackers.
Virgil van Dijk’s childhood story and other interesting facts about his life
A different way to do things
Ajax, Feyenoord, or PSV Eindhoven are the three biggest football clubs in the Netherlands. For players from middle-tier Eredivisie clubs, moving up to one of these clubs is the next step.
They signed Mike van der Hoorn instead of Van Dijk, who is tied to Ajax. Van der Hoorn is currently with Swansea City. Some people thought it was wrong even back then. They can see better now, of course.
Van Dijk was the one who said he had gone in a strange way.
A list of all the times Virgil van Dijk, a defender for Liverpool, showed some fun – Thick Accent
That was in 2016. He told The Times that his journey had not been like most Dutch football players’.
Most routes begin in Groningen and end at a big club in Holland or another major team in another country. Luis Suarez, for example, went from Groningen to Ajax and then to Liverpool after getting to Holland.
The bigger clubs were afraid to get close to me. Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV, and AZ all gave me some thought. We had to choose whether to wait it out and hope for the best or go to Celtic.
It is clear that Celtic gained from their loss, and the move worked out in the end. Van Dijk became a better football player overall and became a terrifying free kick taker while playing at Celtic Park.
He grew faster because he watched Champions League games and played against the best players in Europe.
The Dutch player Virgil van Dijk said, “Their story is big, but this is the right choice.”
Even though they got called up twice in late 2014, that was not enough to get them an international showing. His long-awaited start came in October 2015, against Kazakhstan. It was soon after he joined Southampton in the English Premier League.
Van Dijk was already making his way up the ladder. Some people were still not sure even though they were losing ground. More and more, it became clear that he was one of only a few Premier League foes that Southampton would have to fight hard.
He was too big for St. Mary’s, and playing for one of Europe’s best clubs was the next logical step, which was bad for them. Liverpool was looking for a defensive leader at the same time that he was itching. They depended on each other.
Says, “They did everything to get me, and I want to do everything for them.” When you play for our club, you will always feel like you are part of the family.
It was because of this that I really wanted to join this club’s team.
After more than 60 games for the Reds, we can say that they have been happily married. Being a giant on a calm lake is one thing, but Van Dijk has done great when he has been closely watched. It was not just for his team either.
Since finishing third in the 2014 World Cup, which came as a surprise, the Dutch national team has had a tough time.
Virgil van Dijk, a former Celtic star, took his dad’s name off his shirt because of a family fight that started when he was 12 | The Scottish Sun
After that, they were not allowed to play in the 2016 European Championship or the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which put them even further behind. But things are starting to go well since Ronald Koeman took over as boss and gave Van Dijk the captain’s armband right away.
Even though they lost to Germany and France in the semi-finals of the first UEFA Nations League, Van Dijk was a big reason why they made it to the playoffs. They will play England this summer, which is a very good team, and Van Dijk might bring his own prize to the game.
Even if Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero of Manchester City are strong contenders, he is still the heavy favorite to win the PFA Player of the Year award this season, following in the footsteps of Mohamed Salah and his teammate.
The skill of guarding that is fading
Still, there is a lot of evidence in Van Dijk’s favor. Even though there have been hiccups and he is far from perfect, the Breda-born giant’s impact can not be denied. It is one of the many reasons Liverpool is putting together such a strong title push as they try to end a 29-year wait.
Adam Maina on X: “Virgil Van Dijk, a defender for the Netherlands and Liverpool, with his kids and wife, Rike Nooitgedagt, whom he met as a child and who he now married.” It is at https://t.co/jN4hMUZSBD” / X
Putting aside the numbers, there have been times when he seemed like a lone wolf wrecking crew who made everyone around him better. This was most recently shown by their exciting win over Tottenham Hotspur.
After coming back from behind to tie the game at Anfield, the away team should have taken the lead. Moussa Sissoko, on the other hand, messed up his lines as he and Heung-min Son ran for the goal. One reason for this was that Van Dijk showed how to protect against two players.
15 Interesting Things You Should Know About Virgil Van Djik | Liverpool Core
“I notice Sissoko, and I know he’s got good feet, and Son usually finishes these opportunities,” he explained afterwards. “Yes, that is how I decide what to do.”
Because they paid more than £70 million for Van Dijk. Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino told Sky Sports about it.
Gary Neville, an expert at defending strikers, thinks Liverpool’s No. 4 is now a model for younger players.
Virgil Van Dijk: Nhân tố không thể thiếu của Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk is a player you need to keep an eye on, he said with abandon. He chooses the one that is least bad. Sissoko can block Son’s pass by using his left foot.
You get to decide: out of these, which one do you want to take the shot? He’s not going to win. Hi, I’m Sissoko. Very effective defense.
The argument will continue. And, to be honest, there might never be a unanimous agreement. The fact that Van Dijk should not be included in the discussion, however, is now irrelevant. An outstanding center defender is right here in front of our eyes. Making the commonplace spectacular is a part of his genius.
It has been quite a journey for him from a helpless right back to a towering force of nature central to Liverpool’s and Oranje’s defense, and the terrifying thing is that he is only just beginning to reach his full potential.
