Virgil van Dijk: How Liverpool captain became world’s best
Virgil van Dijk: How Liverpool captain became world’s best: In a full-circle moment, Virgil van Dijk recently returned to the place where his football journey truly began.
Last month, the Liverpool captain quietly visited his former Dutch club, Willem II, to revive a youth football competition aimed at developing young talent. The initiative reflects his desire to give something meaningful back to the game.
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“It’s my way of giving back and helping nurture the next generation of world-class talent. This tournament gives rising stars the platform they need to take the next step towards their dreams,” Van Dijk explained.
Appropriately, the upcoming edition of the Virgil Legacy Trophy, scheduled for September, will include teams from every club Van Dijk has represented during his career, alongside major European names such as Arsenal, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
It was in Tilburg, located in the southern Dutch province of North Brabant, that Van Dijk learned vital lessons not only about football, but about life itself. As he edges closer to lifting a second Premier League title with Liverpool, his story is a reminder of how early challenges helped shape one of the world’s finest defenders.
Some youth managers even saw him as lazy
Van Dijk joined Willem II’s respected academy in 2001 at the age of 10. At the time, the club had recently enjoyed a remarkable Eredivisie campaign, finishing second in 1998-99 and qualifying for the Champions League.
Soon after his arrival, Jan van Loon took over as academy director and quickly noticed Van Dijk’s raw potential.
“There was actually no striker who stood a chance against him,” Van Loon recalled. “He was physically strong and had a natural ability to win the ball at exactly the right moment.
“I remember warning him during matches about opponents behind him, and he’d stay completely calm, saying, ‘Yeah, OK, no worries.’
“Against Ajax, he was tasked with marking their best player, and we told him to make sure that player didn’t touch the ball and that’s exactly what he did.”
However, Van Dijk’s relaxed nature sometimes raised concerns.
“He could appear a bit too laid-back at times,” Van Loon admitted. “Some youth coaches even thought he was lazy.”
That perception was partly due to Van Dijk occasionally arriving late for training, prompting doubts about whether he should remain at the club. But a deeper look into his personal life told a very different story.
“His parents were divorced, and he often had to take care of his younger brother and sister,” Van Loon explained. “He would pick them up from school, prepare food for them, then rush to catch the bus to Willem II.
“Once, his brother asked for peanut butter, so he had to go to the supermarket and missed the bus. That period played a huge role in shaping him as both a person and a footballer.”
“It takes a village to raise a child”
Van Dijk’s performances eventually earned him an opportunity with Willem II’s second team while he was still playing for the under-19s. However, his chance nearly slipped away due to an unfinished school assignment.
Education was a priority for the club, putting his selection at risk.
“I told Virgil, ‘Let’s find a solution together,’” Van Loon said. “He was very popular among his classmates, not because he was a footballer, but because of who he was as a person.
“His friends helped him get everything done in time. The night before the match, the teacher confirmed everything was sorted.”
Van Loon believes moments like this highlight the importance of support systems.
“That teacher played a role too. That’s why I always say it takes a village to raise a child. You need people around you who guide you in the right direction.”
During this time, Van Dijk also developed strong people skills, learning how to identify those who could help him improve.
“He knew which staff members could make him better and actively sought extra guidance from them,” Van Loon said. “I saw similar traits in players like Bukayo Saka and Frenkie de Jong.
“There was an exercise physiologist who specialised in strength training for centre-backs. After sessions ended, Virgil would say, ‘No, we’ll continue.’ That’s when you saw his true drive.”
“My body was broken and I couldn’t do anything”
As a teenager, Van Dijk balanced academy football with a part-time job washing dishes. Despite his physical growth and transition from right-back to centre-back, doubts remained about his long-term potential.
“There wasn’t a clear consensus about him at the club,” Van Loon said. “Virgil could sense that the opinions were divided.”
In 2010, FC Groningen moved quickly to sign the 19-year-old, even though Willem II eventually made him a professional offer. Feeling it came too late, Van Dijk chose to leave.
He made his professional debut in May 2011 and enjoyed a strong first full season until a serious health scare threatened everything.
After visits to multiple hospitals, Van Dijk was diagnosed with appendicitis, peritonitis and a kidney infection, requiring immediate surgery.
“My body was broken and I couldn’t do anything,” Van Dijk said at the time. “For the first time, football didn’t matter. My life was at risk.
“I had to sign papers almost like a will. If I died, part of my money would go to my mum.”
“Probably the best I’ve worked with as a manager”
Although he recovered quickly, interest from top Dutch clubs was limited. That changed in 2013, when Celtic signed him for around £2.5m.
“He trained on the first day and I told him, ‘Enjoy it here, because I don’t think you’ll be here long,’” recalled then-manager Neil Lennon.
“He had everything pace, strength, composure, technical quality. His development was unstoppable. He’s probably the best player I’ve worked with.”
After winning two league titles and a Scottish Cup, Van Dijk joined Southampton, before making a landmark £75m move to Liverpool in 2018 a world-record fee for a defender at the time.
Since then, he has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, two League Cups, the Club World Cup, and the 2019 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award. He now stands on the brink of lifting his second Premier League title.
Van Loon summed it up best:
“He adapted to every challenge. Becoming captain, dealing with the media, leading by example it’s been incredible.
“I’m extremely proud of him. He achieved everything through his own initiative. No one solved things for him.
“His journey inspires young people who start with nothing and work tirelessly to achieve their dreams.”
