Age & Career Of Virgil van Dijk

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Age & Career Of Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is a professional football player from the Netherlands, known for his position as a center-back for both the Liverpool team in the English Premier League and the Netherlands national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world, thanks to his exceptional skills in terms of power, leadership, and aerial abilities.

Virgil van Dijk was born on July 8, 1991, in Breda, Netherlands. He is of mixed origin and has Dutch nationality. As a child, he loved playing football and would play anywhere he could find space.

Van Dijk frequently refers to himself by his first name because of a family feud with his father, who abandoned his wife and children when Virgil was a child.

According to Chinese sources, Van Dijk is of Chinese lineage. His mother, Hellen Fo Sieeuw, is of Chinese descent, and the Chinese surname ‘Fo Sieeuw’ is derived from his maternal great-grandfather, Chin Fo Sieeuw, who came from Guangdong to Suriname about 1920.

Physical Appearance: How tall is Virgil van Dijk?

Van Dijk is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 202 lbs. He has an athletic body, dark brown eyes, and black hair. There is no information on his additional physical measurements at this time.

Virgil van Dijk Career

Van Dijk started his career as a right-back and played for the Willem II School while also working as a dishwasher. However, he struggled to perform adequately in that position and decided to switch to central defense when he experienced a significant growth spurt, increasing his height by approximately 18 cm.

Despite his positional change and physical development, Van Dijk’s former reserve manager at Willem II, Edwin Hermans, believed he had too many limitations to make it to the first team. However, in 2010, Martin Koeman, a former Dutch international who was working for FC Groningen at the time, noticed Van Dijk and signed him on a free transfer the following year.

Although Van Dijk initially struggled with burnout at Groningen, he eventually settled down and secured a starting spot. Within three years of playing for the club, his exceptional defensive skills attracted the attention of prominent teams across Europe.

In the summer of 2015, Southampton paid over £13 million to sign Van Dijk, and he quickly made his way to the first team under then-manager Ronald Koeman. He made his debut in a scoreless league encounter against West Bromwich Albion and only two weeks later, scored his first goal for the club with a remarkable header from a set piece by James Ward Prowse against Swansea.

Following the end of that season, Van Dijk caught the eye of several major European clubs, particularly Liverpool. During the summer of 2016-17, he officially requested a transfer from Southampton, expressing his desire to move on to a larger club. However, he remained with the club until December 13th, 2017, when he played his final game for them.

As a result, Liverpool signed Van Dijk in a £75 million deal, which was a record fee for a defender at the time. Celtic received 10% of the transfer fee as a result of a clause they inserted into his contract before selling him to Southampton.

Van Dijk quickly made his debut for Liverpool just four days after signing and scored his first goal in the same game, helping Liverpool defeat Everton. His acquisition significantly improved Liverpool’s defense as he formed a solid partnership with Dejan Lovren. Van Dijk later helped the team reach the UEFA Champions League final, but they were defeated 1-3 by Real Madrid. Currently, Van Dijk’s net worth is skyrocketing.

Van Dijk Records

Van Dijk has won several awards, including Southampton Player of the Season in 2015 and a member of the PFA Scotland Team of the Year in 2013 and 2014. He was also a member of Celtic when they won the Scottish Premiership twice in 2013-14 and 2014-15, as well as the Scottish League Cup in the same year.

Virgil van Dijk Net Worth

As of April 2023, Virgil Van Dijk is valued at $22 million. He earns £220,000 per week at Liverpool and has several brand endorsements, including Tundra Esports, JBL, and Nike.

Virgil van Dijk Property and Cars

Van Dijk owns a Mercedes-Benz G-Class G 63 AMG valued at up to $250,000 and lives in an affluent Merseyside mansion. He also has a collection of cars that includes a Mercedes, BMW, Audi Q7, Rover Ranger, and 488 Spider Ferrari.

Virgil van Dijk Wife

Van Dijk is married to his childhood love, Rike Nooitgedagt, and they have two children. Jadi was born in 2016, and Nila was born in 2014. Rike prefers to keep her personal life private, so not much is known about her.

Awards & Achievements of Virgil van Dijk: A Defensive Masterclass

Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch footballer, is considered one of the most accomplished defenders in the world. His performance on the field has been a nightmare for most of the attacking players in Europe. Van Dijk has played for Liverpool in the English Premier League and has won several accolades and titles for his performances. Let’s take a closer look at his achievements.

Premier League 2019-20 Title

The 2019-20 season was the first Premier League title for Liverpool in 30 years, and Van Dijk was one of the key players in their success. He played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s defense and helped them maintain the best defensive record in the league. He played 38 games in the season, scored five goals, and assisted four.

UEFA Champions League: 2018-19; 2017-18 Runner-up

Van Dijk was part of Liverpool’s squad that won the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League. His performances in the competition were exceptional, and he was named the man of the match in the final against Tottenham. Liverpool reached the final again in the 2017-18 season but lost to Real Madrid.

UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup

Van Dijk was part of the Liverpool team that won the 2019 UEFA Super Cup and the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup. He played a crucial role in both competitions and helped Liverpool lift two more trophies.

UEFA Nations League

Van Dijk led the Netherlands to the finals of the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League. They eventually lost to Portugal in the final but finished as the runners-up.

Individual Awards

Van Dijk has also won several individual awards for his performances. He was named the PFA Player of the Year for the 2018-19 season, becoming the first defender to win the award since John Terry in 2005. He was also named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for the same season. Van Dijk was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the Premier League in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

UEFA Defender of the Year

Van Dijk was named the UEFA Defender of the Year for the 2018-19 season. He played a crucial role in Liverpool’s Champions League victory and their Premier League title-winning campaign.

Other Awards

Van Dijk has won several other awards, including the November 2018 PFA Player of the Month, the Team of the Year at UEFA, the 2019 FIFA Men’s Player of the Year (2nd place), and the Finals of the UEFA Nations League 2019 Team of the Tournament.

Van Dijk Interesting Facts

Van Dijk started his professional career with Willem II, but the club released him at the age of 18. He then joined Groningen, where he finally earned his reputation. After joining Celtic from Groningen, he won the Scottish Premiership twice and the Scottish League Cup in two seasons.

He became the seventh Dutchman to play for Liverpool, after Erik Meijer, Sander Westerveld, Bolo Zenden, Jan Kromkamp, Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt, and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Van Dijk has made 19 Champions League appearances, including the qualifying process, and is eligible for selection in this season’s campaign. At 6ft 4in, he joins Joel Matip and Adam Bogdan as Liverpool’s third tallest first-team player (both 6ft 5in).