Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk displayed his true character in response to a question about Erling Haaland

Virgil van Dijk is known for his directness, and he displayed this trait following the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Germany on Tuesday night.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is as forthright off the field as he is on it. His candid approach has earned him widespread respect throughout the football community. At 33, he remains a top-tier centre back, with an attitude to match.

Following the Netherlands’ draw with Germany, Van Dijk didn’t hesitate to address Matthijs de Ligt’s role in the goals conceded, stating, *”This is football. You have to learn from this.”* This straightforward response reflects Van Dijk’s typical no-nonsense style.

His bluntness was also evident after Liverpool’s dramatic 4-3 win over Red Bull Salzburg in 2019. When Jan Age Fjortoft tried to focus a post-match interview on Erling Haaland’s performance, Van Dijk interrupted, emphasizing the importance of the team’s victory over individual achievements.

On the Blood Red podcast, Fjortoft recounted: “After the game, I interviewed Van Dijk… and I said ‘I have to ask you about the Norwegian, Erling Haaland’ and he just said: ‘Well, we won the game’. So I said ‘Yes, but what do you think about him?’

Van Dijk responded: ‘I didn’t see a lot of him’ and he seemed a bit frustrated because of some mistakes made. I mentioned ‘It’s a good sign for a striker when a defender says he didn’t see him!’ – and then he just walked away.”

Van Dijk’s unwavering resolve has been a consistent feature of his career. He does not entertain idle talk or excuse the shortcomings of his team or teammates, as seen in his reaction to the Netherlands’ defeat to Austria at Euro 2024.

Unwilling to soften the blow, he remarked: “It was just a bad evening. We are all responsible, it shouldn’t happen, but it did and that’s bad.”

Van Dijk clearly sets high standards for himself and those around him. In an interview with Liverpool’s official website after being named club captain last summer, he stressed the importance of maintaining these standards, attributing the team’s success to their collective discipline and effort.

These high standards were evident when Liverpool won the Premier League for the first time in 2020. Their moment of triumph was nearly compromised by the Covid-19 pandemic, which briefly halted Premier League football and led some to suggest restarting the season.

After finally securing the trophy when football resumed, Van Dijk could not hide his satisfaction at quieting Liverpool’s critics. “No one can say anything now,” he asserted to Sky Sports with determination.

“We had a few games where we should have done better, but we shouldn’t focus on that. We’ve had a fantastic season. We only lost twice, so like I said, no one can say anything about us. We are well-deserving champions. We won by a mile.”