Virgil van Dijk reaffirmed his place as among the best centre-backs within the recreation after enjoying a key function in his fourth and Liverpool’s twentieth league title win.
The Dutchman performed extra minutes than any Liverpool participant bar Mohamed Salah throughout all competitions through the 2024/25 season — the fourth season in a row during which he has racked up over 3,500 minutes.
He began and captained the workforce in all however two video games throughout the Premier League and Champions League, in what was one other season of constant excellence.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK, 2024/25
Began: 49 (All competitions)On in its place: 0Unused sub: 3Goals: 5Assists: 1Overall Season Score: 9.4
Management on and off the pitch
It’s unusual to assume that the captain’s armband is comparatively new to Van Dijk.
He has solely been Liverpool captain for 2 seasons, however his pure consolation and effectiveness within the function make it really feel like he has held the standing for for much longer.
His calm however authoritative management qualities helped Liverpool finish the 2024/25 season with success, offering a continuation of management on the pitch despite the fact that there have been adjustments off it.
As a brand new supervisor arrived within the form of his compatriot Arne Slot, and a brand new teaching workforce with him, Van Dijk and different gamers who had been round because the title-winning Jurgen Klopp facet performed an necessary function.
Given the frequency with which Van Dijk speaks to the media as captain, you don’t hear that a lot from him within the sensationalist world of content material and remark.
There are hardly ever any controversies or missteps, on or off the pitch.
Partnership with Ibrahima Konate flourished
Van Dijk and Konate are one of many recreation’s ideally suited centre-back partnerships.
The Dutchman’s management and all-round skill to win duels, cowl in behind and spray passes from the again mix properly with the extra proactive Konate’s tempo, front-foot defending and anticipation.
As Konate steps out in an try to cease assaults earlier than they actually get going, Van Dijk hangs again to cowl if wanted.
Van Dijk can even do the Konate factor on his favoured left facet of the defensive pair when required, however at his age, he prefers the extra reactive facet of defending, utilizing his expertise to attend after which second-guess attackers in key moments.
The workforce can look misplaced with out Van Dijk. They don’t simply miss his footballing skill however his organisational abilities too. They misplaced each of the video games he didn’t begin within the two most important competitions.
If a few of Van Dijk’s organisational abilities may be picked up by Konate within the coming season, the Frenchman may very well be the successor to Van Dijk and make his new contract a no brainer.
Fortunately for Liverpool, they need to get to expertise this elite pairing on the coronary heart of the defence as soon as once more within the 2025/26 season.
Virgil van Dijk’s legacy as one of many greatest-ever
Van Dijk turns 34 years previous this summer season and as he reaches the twilight of his profession, the query of his legacy, not simply at Liverpool however in soccer as an entire, will come more and more into focus.
The dialogue round Van Dijk isn’t nearly whether or not he is among the world’s finest centre-backs in latest occasions – he’s undoubtedly the most effective of his period – it’s extra a query of how excessive he ranks on a listing of the best centre-backs ever.
The romantic alternative turns to the Italians after which to the genius of all-rounder Franz Beckenbauer, however for the calls for of a prime workforce within the trendy recreation, its excessive traces which expose defenders and its one-versus-one challenges, there have been none higher than Van Dijk.
With regards to making a case for the Dutchman within the grand scheme of issues, his newest Premier League win provides him extra backup within the trophy division, one thing he lacks in comparison with a few of these gamers who got here by way of at dominant European powerhouses that have been frequently profitable titles already.
It’s unfair that Van Dijk’s seasons with groups like Celtic and Southampton depend in opposition to him when judging his place within the pantheon of nice centre-backs.
Such progress at totally different ranges of the sport is unquestionably more difficult than having all the time performed for a top-level membership with different world-class gamers. It ought to depend in his favour when judging his total profession, not take away from it.
The 2024/25 season raised Van Dijk’s general standing within the recreation and added one other trophy-winning season on the prime degree, making it two league titles with Celtic and two with Liverpool.
Like his first for Liverpool, it was one other historic league win and never a simple one. The primary ended the 30-year drought, whereas the second got here when nobody had given Liverpool an opportunity amid a managerial transition from Klopp to Slot.
With out the management and high quality of Van Dijk, Liverpool doubtless don’t elevate these titles.
Greatest second: A profitable objective in opposition to West Ham in April – and lifting the Premier League trophy!
Worst second: Struggled to include Beto in opposition to Everton within the Merseyside derby.
Function subsequent season: Extra of the identical, please!
* Learn all our player-by-player season opinions right here
