GOAL: 'He needs to learn' - Virgil van Dijk offers advice to new Liverpool signing who CAN'T play for the club until next year
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Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for and captains both Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. Widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, and one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, he is known for his strength, leadership, speed and aerial ability.
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sports · Dutch footballer (born 1991) · association football player · also Virgil van Dijk, Dijk
Born 8 July 1991 · Q133903
99 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 6 entries
The Guardian: Araújo joins Liverpool on loan and Van Dijk hopes for more arrivals before new season
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Public attention spiked: 18,704 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.8× the usual 4,909, with 1 article edits. Editors noted: script-assisted date audit and style fixes per MOS:NUM
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Public attention spiked: 105,386 Wikipedia readers in one day, 21.5× the usual 4,909, with 3 article edits. Editors noted: International career update
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Public attention spiked: 36,193 Wikipedia readers in one day, 7.4× the usual 4,909, with 1 article edits. Editors noted: upd nationalcaps
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Public attention spiked: 74,238 Wikipedia readers in one day, 15.1× the usual 4,909, with 8 article edits. Editors noted: Early life Mce
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2025· 9 entries
Runner-up: EFL Cup with Liverpool (2024–25).
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Won: Premier League with Liverpool (2024–25).
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Won award: FIFA Men's World 11 (2025).
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Won award: The Athletic European Men's Team of the Season (2024–25).
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Won award: The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season (2024–25).
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Won award: Premier League Fan Team of the Season (2024–25).
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Won award: PFA Team of the Year (2024–25).
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Won award: FIFPRO World 11 (2025).
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In September 2025, a stand at Sportpark Prinsenhoeve, the home ground of the youth team of Van Dijk's former club Willem II, was renamed the Virgil van Dijk Tribune in his honour.
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2024· 7 entries
Won the English Football League Cup with Liverpool (2023-2024).
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Won award: PFA Team of the Year (2023–24).
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Won award: ESM Team of the Year (2023–24).
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Won award: Alan Hardaker Trophy (2024).
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Won: EFL Cup with Liverpool (2023–24).
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Won award: FIFPRO World 11 (2024).
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Van Dijk revealed that while his childhood favourite team used to be Barcelona, his biggest inspiration as a defender was AC Milan's centre back Alessandro Nesta
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2023· 1 entry
Ben Foster claimed that Van Dijk was the "best defender that has ever lived" during his pre-injury run with Liverpool
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2022· 14 entries
Won the English FA Cup with Liverpool (2021-2022).
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Won the English Football League Cup with Liverpool (2021-2022).
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Won the English FA Community Shield with Liverpool (2022).
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Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Liverpool (2021–22).
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Won award: IFFHS Men's World Team (2022).
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Won: FA Cup with Liverpool (2021–22).
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Won award: ESM Team of the Year (2021–22).
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Won award: PFA Team of the Year (2021–22).
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Won: EFL Cup with Liverpool (2021–22).
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Won award: Alan Hardaker Trophy (2022).
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Won: FA Community Shield with Liverpool (2022).
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Won award: UEFA Champions League Team of the Season (2021–22).
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Won award: FIFPRO World 11 (2022).
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Erling Haaland named Van Dijk the best defender he has played against, calling him "fast, strong and 'bad' smart", as well as praising his timing
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2020· 10 entries
Won award: UEFA Team of the Year (2020).
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Won award: IFFHS Men's World Team (2020).
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Won award: IFFHS UEFA Team of the Decade (2011–2020).
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Won award: UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season (2019–20).
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Won: Premier League with Liverpool (2019–20).
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Won award: FIFPRO World 11 (2020).
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Won award: IFFHS World Team of the Decade (2011–2020).
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Won award: ESM Team of the Year (2019–20).
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Won award: PFA Team of the Year (2019–20).
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Vincent Kompany called Van Dijk the best centre-back to ever appear in the Premier League, claiming the Liverpool "before Van Dijk and the other after him, it's a completely different setup"
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2019· 21 entries
Won the English PFA Players Player of the Year with Liverpool (2018-2019).
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Won award: UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season (2018–19).
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Won: UEFA Champions League with Liverpool (2018–19).
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Won: UEFA Super Cup with Liverpool (2019).
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Won: FIFA Club World Cup with Liverpool (2019).
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Won award: PFA Players' Player of the Year (2018–19).
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Won award: PFA Team of the Year (2018–19).
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Won award: Premier League Player of the Season (2018–19).
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Won award: Premier League Player of the Year by Northwest Football Awards (2019).
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Won award: UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award (2018–19).
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Won award: UEFA Team of the Year (2019).
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Won award: UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season (2018–19).
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Won award: UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament (2019).
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Won award: Liverpool Fans' Player of the Season Award (2018–19).
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Won award: Liverpool Players' Player of the Season Award (2018–19).
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Won award: FIFPRO World 11 (2019).
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Won award: IFFHS Men's World Team (2019).
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Won award: Sports Illustrated Premier League Team of the Decade (2010–2019).
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Won award: ESM Team of the Year (2018–19).
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Won award: Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year (2019).
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Awarded UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award (2019).
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2018· 5 entries
Won award: UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season (2017–18).
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Runner-up: UEFA Champions League with Liverpool (2017–18).
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Won award: UEFA Team of the Year (2018).
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Steve Douglas of The Globe and Mail described Van Dijk with the following words: "Powerful in the air, measured with the ball at his feet, quick, and with superb positional sense, van Dijk [sic] has it all
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Played for Liverpool F.C. (2018) — 272 appearances, 27 goals.
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2016· 1 entry
Won award: Southampton Player of the Season (2015–16).
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2015· 8 entries
Won: Scottish Premiership with Celtic (2014–15).
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Won award: PFA Scotland Team of the Year (2014–15).
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Won: Scottish League Cup with Celtic (2014–15).
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Played for Netherlands national association football team (2015) — 95 appearances, 13 goals.
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Played for Southampton F.C. (2015–2018) — 67 appearances, 4 goals.
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Joined Southampton in 2015.
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Joined Southampton before signing for Liverpool in January 2018 for £75 million, a then-world-record transfer fee for a defender
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And assumed full captaincy of the national team in March 2018
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2014· 4 entries
Won award: PFA Scotland Team of the Year (2013–14).
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Won award: Celtic Players' Player of the Year (2013–14).
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Won: Scottish Premiership with Celtic (2013–14).
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But did not make his debut until 10 October 2015, when the Netherlands beat Kazakhstan 2–1 in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier
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2013· 2 entries
Played for Celtic F.C. (2013–2015) — 76 appearances, 9 goals.
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Joined Celtic in 2013.
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2011· 5 entries
Played for FC Groningen (2011–2013) — 62 appearances, 7 goals.
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Played for Netherlands national under-19 football team (2011–2011) — 1 appearances, 0 goals.
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Played for Netherlands national under-21 football team (2011–2013) — 3 appearances, 0 goals.
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When he was 20 and they have been married since the summer of 2017
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Joined FC Groningen in 2011.
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2010· 2 entries
Joined FC Groningen in 2010.
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On a free transfer, after being scouted by former Dutch international Martin Koeman, who was working for Groningen at the time
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2009· 1 entry
Joined Willem II in 2009.
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2008· 1 entry
Aged 17, after he grew in height by around 18 centimetres
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1991· 1 entry
Born 1991-07-08.
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1901· 1 entry
To score on his debut in the Merseyside derby
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