Virgil van Dijk, born 8 July 1991 in the Netherlands, is a seasoned defender who currently assumes the role of a central defender for Liverpool. Standing tall at 193 centimetres (6ft 3in), and weighing in at 92 kilograms (14st 6lb), his imposing presence on the field is undeniable. He proudly sports the number 4 jersey and, in addition to his club commitments, has also represented the Netherlands national team.
In July 2010, van Dijk joined FC Groningen in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands. His career started slowly, with only two appearances in the first season, but picked up pace in the following seasons, featuring in 23 and 32 league matches, and scoring three and two goals respectively.
In July 2013, he transferred to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership for a fee around £2.6m. Van Dijk's tenure at Celtic was a fruitful one, where he shone impressively in all three seasons. In the 2013-14 season, van Dijk made 36 appearances for the Hoops, and found the back of the net five times. This set the tone for his second season at Celtic, in which he made 35 appearances, scoring four goals. Although his appearances were significantly reduced in the 2015-16 season with just five league matches, he had made a significant mark on the Scottish Premiership.
In September 2015, van Dijk transferred from Celtic to Southampton in the Premier League for a fee of around £12m. Over the next three seasons, van Dijk made a total of 67 league appearances and netted four goals for the Saints.
Van Dijk's star continued to rise as he made a significant move in January 2018. He transferred from Southampton to Liverpool in the Premier League for a hefty fee of about £75m. At Liverpool, van Dijk continued to deliver sterling performances; he was a mainstay in defence, making over 30 appearances in each season from 2018 to 2024. Scoring goals also seem to be part of his game, marking the score sheet frequently over these seasons. As of the 2024-2025 season, van Dijk has made 29 appearances, scoring one goal.
Van Dijk's commendable performances extended beyond league matches, as he netted one goal in two starts for Liverpool in the 2024-25 League Cup. He represented the Netherlands in the Euro Qualifiers from 2022 to 2024, scoring once in eight starts, and in the Euros 2024 with six starts. He also featured for the Netherlands in the 2024-25 Nations League with four starts. In club commencements, he accounted for three starts and two substitute appearances for Liverpool in the 2023-24 Europa League, and in the Champions League in 2024-25, he made his mark by scoring one goal in nine starts.
