Virgil van Dijk

At 32 years old, Virgil van Dijk has this physical status:

Club career

Van Dijk was able to break into Groningen's first team with club staff who claimed he was "overtired" after so much playing time with Willem II's academy and reserve teams. During a 4–2 win over ADO Den Haag, he made his professional debut for the club on May 1, 2011, replacing Petter Andersson with 72nd minutes. In a 5–1 victory in a UEFA Europa League play-off match, he made his first appearance for Groningen and scored his first professional goals against the same opposition on May 29th.

Van Dijk made 23 appearances for the Eivisie team in 2011–12 season, scoring his first regular-season goal against Feyenoord on October 30, 2011. During the campaign, he suffered a personal setback, but soon after his 20th birthday, he was admitted to hospital with peritonitis and kidney poisoning. Van Dijk later revealed that he was close to death as a result of the medical crisis, and that the hospital had even gone so far as to ask him to sign a "sort of will" in the event of his death.

He did, however, return to Groningen and continued to impress the following season. Van Dijk had "outgrown" the club, and he was offered to a number of other big Economies, including Ajax, but none of whom declined to sign him at the end of the season, including Ajax.

Van Dijk joined Celtic for around £2.6 million on a four-year contract, with a 10% selling-on fee for Groningen. On August 17th, he made his appearance on his debut over Aberdeen and replacing Efe Ambrose for the final 13 minutes of a 2–0 Scottish Premiership victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium. In a 2–2 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Celtic Park a week later, he made his first appearance in a 2–2 draw. Van Dijk scored his first Celtic goals in each half of a 4–1 victory over Ross County on November 9, scoring one in each half. He scored the only goal of a victory over St Johnstone on December 26th after a solo run.

Van Dijk scored again on January 26th in a 4–0 victory over Hibernian for Celtic's 11th straight league victory. He was dismissed after 13 minutes of an eventual 2–1 loss at Aberdeen for a professional foul on Peter Pawlett, Celtic's first loss of the season. Van Dijk scored once more on May 7th to lift his team 3–1 over St Johnstone in an eventual 3–3 draw. He was one of three Celtic players selected in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year. Van Dijk had been nominated for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year Award, but he was disqualified by fellow Celtic player Kris Commons.

Van Dijk and Teemu Pukki each scored twice in a 4–0 home victory over KR in a UEFA Champions League qualifier on July 22, 2014, putting their team in a UEFA Champions League qualifier next week, with aggregate score 5–0. Stefan Johansen's last-minute corner at Aberdeen gave him his first goal of the Premiership season. In the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, Van Dijk scored the first and last goals of Celtic's 4–0 victory over Heart of Midlothian. Partick Thistle defeated Glasgow neighbours Partick Thistle by four days after that. He had scored his sixth goal of the season on the weekend.

Van Dijk was back on target on January 21, 2015, with a 4–0 home win over Motherwell. Celtic lost 1–0 on the night, 4–3 on aggregate, after being sent off in the 36th minute against Inter Milan for a foul on Mauro Icardi. He was dismissed from Tannadice Park after eleven minutes for a match with Calum Butcher on March 8th in the Cup quarter-finals. His suspension for the following week's Scottish League Cup Final was overturned on appeal, as was Paul Paton, who was dismissed from the team after mistakenly referring to Butcher. Van Dijk completed the final at Hampden Park, where Celtic defeated Celtic 2–0. Celtic defeated Dundee United in their third straight match against them on March 18, 2016 after Van Dijk scored in the last minute to win by 4–0 in a Cup replay.

Celtic defeated Inverness at Hampden on April 19th, and Van Dijk led the scoring with a free kick. Celtic lost 32-0, ending their chance of a treble after goalkeeper Craig Gordon's dismissal. He said a 2–1 win over Dundee three days later, after recovering from a free kick. Van Dijk's team won the league again, and his team was named in the league's Team of the Season for the second straight season. He had been nominated for the PFA Scotland Players' Player Award once more, but he was unable to honor another teammate, this time Stefan Johansen.

After Celtic were disqualified from the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League in the qualifying rounds to Malmö, Sweden, Van Dijk was apparently "considering his future" in Glasgow.

Van Dijk, a former footballer, agreed to a five-year deal with Premier League side Southampton, managed by Ronald Koeman, on September 1st, for a reported £13 million transfer fee.

In a 0–0 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on September 12, he made his Southampton debut on September 12th. Van Dijk scored his third Premier League appearance for the club in the 11th minute, putting Southampton up ahead on a 3–1 victory over Swansea City after a set-piece by James Ward-Prowse. Van Dijk renewed his six-year deal with the Saints on May 7th.

Following José Fonte's departure, he was named team captain of Southampton on January 22nd. He sustained an ankle injury against Leicester City on the same day. He was disqualified from the 2017 EFL Cup Final, which Southampton lost to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

Van Dijk's career as a result of a fruitful 2016-2017 season at Southampton was subjected to criticism from Liverpool, who apologised to Southampton for an unlawful player move after having reportedly voiced his intention in a transfer to Liverpool. Van Dijk submitted a transfer request to Southampton on August 7th and released a statement accompanying it, stressing his desire to join a new club in the transfer window.

Van Dijk played for Southampton for the first time since being hospitalized in January and emerged as a late replacement in a 1–0 win over Crystal Palace on September 26. In a 4–1 home loss to Leicester on December 13, he made what appeared to be his last appearance for Southampton. It was also his last game in any of Southampton's matchday squads as he was omitted from the squad for the remainder of his time at the club due to rumors about his future.

Van Dijk will join Liverpool in the winter transfer window opened on January 1st, 2018, for a reported £75 million. Due to a sell-on clause in his Southampton contract, the former club Celtic will receive 10% of Van Dijk's transfer fee. Southampton also reported that the undisclosed transfer fee would be a world record fee for a defender.

In a 2–1 victory over local rival Everton on January 5th in the third round of the FA Cup, he made his debut for Liverpool on January 5th and scored the winning goal with a late header. He became the first player since Bill White in 1901 to score on his debut in the Merseyside derby. Van Dijk and Dejan Lovren formed a strong alliance at the heart of Liverpool's defense, with the Dutchman being blamed for improving Liverpool's previous defensive issues.

Despite playing just half of the season in the Champions League, Van Dijk was included in the season's Champions League squad, providing composure and security in the competition's knockout stages." Van Dijk completed the game against Real Madrid in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final, which Liverpool lost 1–3. Van Dijk's first season with the club saw him play in all competitions, scoring once.

Van Dijk was named man of the match by BBC Sport and Sky Sports on Sunday for his 2–0 win over Crystal Palace. Van Dijk was named Player of the Month for his August appearances. Van Dijk was given an assist for the winning goal in a derby match against city rivals Everton on December 2nd. Liverpool defeated 1–0 thanks to Divock Origi's 96th minute goal, set up by a Van Dijk volley and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford's subsequent mistake. For November 2018, the Dutchman was named PFA Player of the Month for the month. Van Dijk scored his first goal in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 21. The Dutchman continued his good form in the 2018-19 season by winning the Premier League Player of the Month award in December 2018.

Van Dijk scored twice twice in a 5–0 victory over Watford on February 27, 2019. He scored once, his first goal in the Champions League, and was instrumental in a 3–1 victory over Bayern Munich later this month. In doing so, he became Liverpool's first player since Craig Bellamy in 2007 to score and assist a goal.

He was one of six players nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award alongside teammate Sadio Mané on April 20th. He was voted in the PFA Team of the Year four days after, alongside Liverpool teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mané, and Andrew Robertson. On April 28, 2019, he was named Player of the Year by the PFA Players' Association. Van Dijk was named UEFA Man of the Match following Liverpool's 2–0 win over Tottenham in the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final on June 1st.

Van Dijk received the UEFA Player of the Year award in August 2019. He was shortlisted in the final three FIFA football awards on September 2nd, 2019. On September 23, 2019, he was voted second place in The Best FIFA Men's Player and the FIFA FIFpro Men's World 11. Van Dijk was selected as one of the top 30 football players in the Ballon d'Or in October 2019. He came in runner-up at the December show in front of Lionel Messi. Van Dijk played in the final against Flamengo on December 21, 2019, after being unable to participate in the semi-finals of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup due to sickness, with Liverpool winning the trophy for the first time in the club's history.

Since the year's start, Van Dijk received even more recognition. He was selected in the 2019 UEFA Team of the Year. Van Dijk scored his first North-West Derby goal against Manchester United in Liverpool's 2–0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League on January 19, 2020.

Van Dijk began and finished every minute for Liverpool over the course of the 2019–20 domestic season.

On the first day of the new season, Van Dijk scored a headed goal against Leeds United.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was recalled in the sixth minute of the Merseyside derby on October 17th. On the next day, it was revealed that he had sustained an ACL injury in his right knee and will need surgery. Van Dijk was supposed to be out from six to twelve months. The operation on his injuries had been successful on October 30th. Van Dijk's national team coach Frank de Boer hoped that he would return to make his return before the 2020 European Football Championships, but Van Dijk, however, decided that he should keep his rehabilitation so he could return to full fitness before the next season.

On Sunday, Van Dijk made his first appearance in over nine months as a second-half substitute in a preseason friendly against Hertha BSC. Van Dijk signed a new four-year deal on August 13, 2021, extending his stay at the club until 2025. He scored his first goal for Liverpool in over 14 months against his old club Southampton when he struck a volley from a corner.

International career

Van Dijk made his international debut for the Netherlands on October 10th, 2015, defeating Kazakhstan 2–1 away from home in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier.

He was awarded the captaincy of his country by country's founder Ronald Koeman on March 22, 2018, and his first match as captain was a 1–0 home friendly loss to England the next day. He scored his first international goal against Portugal, the European champions, in a 3–0 victory over the Stade de Genève on March 26th. In the UEFA Nations League, he scored in a 3–0 victory over 2014 World Cup champions Germany on October 13th. More importantly, he scored the equalizer in the upcoming match against Germany after assistant coach Dwight Lodeweges sent him a small paper note during a break, with the request to play forward in the last minutes of the game. The Netherlands won the group phase of the Nations League thanks to their goal. He later led his country to the final, but Portugal lost 11-0 against Portugal.

Van Dijk ruled himself out of participating in the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 to have enough time to recover after a long-term injury in May 2021.

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