In this article, Dutch capitalization is used fortussenvoegsels inDutch family names. The first letter in Van Dijk is capitalized unless it is preceded by a name, initial or title of nobility.
Van Dijk represented the Netherlands atunder-19 andunder-21 levels. He made his senior international debut for the Netherlands in 2015 and assumed fullcaptaincy of the national team in March 2018. The following year, Van Dijk captained the Netherlands to thefinal of the inauguralUEFA Nations League, where they finished runners-up. He also captained his side to the quarter-finals of the2022 FIFA World Cup and the semi-finals ofUEFA Euro 2024.
Early life
Van Dijk was born inBreda to aDutch father, Ron van Dijk, and aSurinamese mother, Hellen Chin Fo Sieeuw,[15] who isAfro-Surinamese and part ofChinese descent. The Chinese surnameChin Fo Sieeuw derives from the given name of his maternal great-grandfather,Chin Fo Sieeuw (Chinese:陳火秀,romanized: Chén Huǒxiù), who emigrated fromGuangdong toSuriname around 1920.[16] He has a younger brother and sister, who are two and ten years younger than him respectively.[17][18]
Van Dijk grew up in Kesteren, in theHaagse Beemden district ofBreda.[19][20] His father left the family when he was 11 years old. Van Dijk first lived with his father for a while before making the choice to go back to live with his mother, after which his father broke off contact.[17][21]
Growing up he played football wherever he could – on the streets, in concrete cages, and eventually Saturday morning matches.[22][23][24] He started playing football in the youth team at WDS'19 before joiningWillem II at the age of 8.[25] He combined his time playing at the Willem II academy with a part-time job as a dishwasher as a teenager.[26][27] He said: "I didn't have a contract at that time. I wasn't thinking I had no future in the game, but I also knew I had to work, to try to make money."[28]
Having previously and unsuccessfully featured as aright-back, Van Dijk was shifted into acentral defensive position in 2008, aged 17, after he grew in height by around 18 centimetres.[26][27] Despite the positional shift and Van Dijk's physical growth, Willem II's reserve manager at the timeEdwin Hermans believed he had "too many limitations" which prevented him from breaking into the first team.[27] The club therefore did not want to offer him a contract.[29] He left forGroningen at the age of 19 in 2010, on afree transfer, after being scouted by former Dutch internationalMartin Koeman, who was working for Groningen at the time.[26][27]
Van Dijk initially struggled to break into Groningen's first team with club staff believing he was "overtired" after extensive playing time with Willem II's academy and reserve sides.[27] He made his professional debut for the club on 1 May 2011, coming on as a 72nd-minutesubstitute forPetter Andersson during a 4–2 victory againstADO Den Haag.[30] On 29 May, and against the same opposition, he made his first start for Groningen and scored his first professional goals, netting twice in a 5–1 win in aUEFA Europa League play-off match.[27]
During the2011–12 Eredivisie season, Van Dijk made 23 league appearances for theEredivisie team, and scored his first regular-season goal during the club's 6–0 victory overFeyenoord on 30 October 2011.[31][32] He suffered a personal setback during the campaign, however, as soon after his 20th birthday he was admitted to hospital with advanced appendicitis,peritonitis and kidney poisoning.[33] The ailments were previously not recognised by the medical staff of Groningen and the local hospital.[25] Van Dijk underwent an urgent lifesaving operation, after which he spent 13 days in hospital, lost nearly two and a half stones (35 pounds), and could not walk for 10 days.[34][35] As he had been close to dying as a result of the medical emergency, the hospital had even gone so far as to ask him to sign a "sort ofwill" in the event of his passing.[27][36]
It took Van Dijk a few months to fully recover. In the summer of 2012, he returned and joined the selection again.[37] Despite the fact that the club had a changeable season, Van Dijk, who played in the center of defence together with veteranKees Kwakman, excelled.[38]
In the summer of 2013, Van Dijk was a candidate to strengthenPSV's defence, but the club ultimately opted forJeffrey Bruma as the new central defender.[39] A transfer toBrighton & Hove Albion FC orKrasnodar, both of which wanted to meet the asking price of Groningen director Hans Nijland, were rejected by Van Dijk himself.[40] Van Dijk, who actually preferred a transfer to a Dutch top club, contactedMarc Overmars himself via director Nijland and his agent to discuss a possible transfer toAjax.[41][42] However, the club, which was on the market for a new central defender at the time, decided not to accept Van Dijk's advances and eventually signedMike van der Hoorn fromUtrecht.[27][43]
Celtic
2013–14 season
On 21 June 2013, Van Dijk signed withCeltic for a fee of around £2.6 million, on a four-year deal including a 10% selling-on fee for Groningen.[44] He made his debut on 17 August, replacingEfe Ambrose for the final 13 minutes of a 2–0Scottish Premiership win overAberdeen atPittodrie.[45] A week later, he made his first start, in a 2–2 draw withInverness Caledonian Thistle atCeltic Park.[46] On 9 November, Van Dijk scored his first Celtic goals, heading one in each half of a 4–1 win againstRoss County.[47] After a solo run, he scored the only goal of a victory overSt Johnstone on 26 December.[48]
Van Dijk scored again on 26 January 2014, in a 4–0 win versusHibernian for Celtic's 11th consecutive league win.[49] On 25 February, he was sent off after 13 minutes of an eventual 2–1 loss at Aberdeen, for a professional foul onPeter Pawlett; it was Celtic's first defeat of the season.[50] With Celtic having already won the league, Van Dijk netted again on 7 May to put his team 3–1 up away to St Johnstone, in an eventual 3–3 draw.[51] He was one of three Celtic players named in thePFA Scotland Team of the Year.[52] Van Dijk was nominated for thePFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year award,[53] but lost out to fellow Celtic playerKris Commons.[54]
On 22 July 2014, Van Dijk andTeemu Pukki each scored twice in a 4–0 home win overKR in aUEFA Champions League qualifier, putting their team into the next round 5–0 on aggregate.[55] His first goal of thePremiership season came on 9 November, finishing fromStefan Johansen's last-minute corner for a 2–1 win at Aberdeen.[56] Three weeks later, Van Dijk scored the first and last goals of Celtic's 4–0 win versusHeart of Midlothian in the fourth round of theScottish Cup.[57] Four days after that, his sixth goal of the season was enough for victory in a home match againstGlasgow neighboursPartick Thistle.[58]
Van Dijk was again on target on 21 January 2015, opening a 4–0 home win overMotherwell.[59] On 26 February, he was sent off in the 36th minute againstInter Milan for a foul onMauro Icardi, as Celtic lost 1–0 on the night, 4–3 on aggregate in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League.[60] He was again sent off on 8 March in the Cup quarter-final away toDundee United atTannadice Park, receiving a red card after eleven minutes for a confrontation withCalum Butcher.[61] His suspension for the following week'sScottish League Cup final was overturned on appeal, as was that ofPaul Paton, who was sent off when mistaken for Butcher.[62] Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes of the final atHampden Park, which Celtic won 2–0.[63] On 18 March, Celtic's third consecutive match against Dundee United, Van Dijk scored in the last minute to confirm a 4–0 win in a Cup replay.[64]
On 19 April, Celtic contested the Cup semi-final against Inverness at Hampden, and Van Dijk opened the scoring with a free kick. After the dismissal of goalkeeperCraig Gordon, Celtic fell 3–2, ending their chance of atreble.[65] Three days later, again from a free kick, he confirmed a 2–1 win away toDundee.[66] His team again won the league, and Van Dijk was included in the league's Team of the Season for the second consecutive campaign.[67] He was again shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Players' Player award,[68] but lost out to another teammate, this time Stefan Johansen.[69]
Van Dijk was reportedly "considering his future" in Glasgow after Celtic were knocked out of the2015–16 UEFA Champions League in the qualifying rounds toMalmö of Sweden.[70]
Southampton
2015–16 season
On 1 September 2015, the last day of the transfer window, Van Dijk signed a five-year contract withPremier League clubSouthampton, managed byRonald Koeman, for a reported £13 million transfer fee.[71][72] Fellow Premier League clubsSunderland,Newcastle andArsenal were also reportedly interested in the last hours of the transfer window.[73][74][75] The transfer made him the most expensive Dutch defender sinceJaap Stam, who went fromManchester United toLazio in 2001 for more than €25 million.[76]
He made his debut for Southampton on 12 September in a 0–0 draw againstWest Bromwich Albion atThe Hawthorns.[77] Two weeks later, Van Dijk marked his third Premier League appearance with his first goal for the club, which came in the form of a header in the 11th minute to put Southampton in front, following a set-piece fromJames Ward-Prowse in a 3–1 home win overSwansea City.[78] He was named player of the year by both his teammates and Southampton fans for his first season.[79][80] On 7 May 2016, Van Dijk signed a new six-year contract with the Saints.[81]
After a successful2016–17 season at Southampton, Van Dijk was subject to interest from top English clubs withChelsea,Manchester City andLiverpool reportedly interested. Liverpool apologised to Southampton for an illegal approach for the player after he had reportedly made clear his interest in a move to Merseyside.[85][86][87] On 7 August 2017, Van Dijk handed in a transfer request to Southampton and released a statement along with it, emphasising his wish to join a different club in the transfer window.[88]
2017–18 season
Van Dijk remained with Southampton for the start of the2017–18 season and made his first appearance since being injured in January, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 victory atCrystal Palace on 26 September.[89] He made what turned out to be his final appearance for Southampton on 13 December 2017, in a 4–1 home defeat to Leicester.[90] It was also his last appearance in any of Southampton's matchday squads, as he was omitted from the squad for the rest of his tenure at the club in light of speculation surrounding his future.[91]
On 27 December 2017, it was announced that Van Dijk would join Liverpool when the winter transfer window opened on 1 January 2018[92][93] for a reported fee of £75 million.[12] Former club Celtic would receive 10% of Van Dijk's transfer fee, due to a sell-on clause placed in his Southampton contract.[12][94] Southampton claimed the undisclosed transfer fee would constitute a world record fee in football for a defender.[93]
Van Dijk made his debut for Liverpool on 5 January in the third round of theFA Cup and scored the winning goal with a late header in a 2–1 victory against local rivalsEverton.[95] In doing so, he became the first player sinceBill White in 1901 to score on his debut in theMerseyside derby.[96] Van Dijk andDejan Lovren built a strong partnership at the heart of Liverpool's defence, with the Dutchman being credited for improving Liverpool's previous defensive issues.[97][98][99] Van Dijk was included in theUEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, despite playing just half of the season in theChampions League, with theUEFA Technical Observers saying: "Van Dijk arrived atAnfield and provided composure and stability in thecompetition's knockout stages." Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes in the2018 UEFA Champions League final againstReal Madrid, which Liverpool lost 3–1.[100] Van Dijk played 22 games in all competitions in his first season with the club, scoring once.[101]
2018–19 season
Van Dijk received theLiverpool Player of the Month award for his performances in August.[102] On 2 December, Van Dijk was awarded an assist for the winning goal in a derby match against city rivals Everton. Liverpool won 1–0 thanks to Divock Origi's 96th-minute goal, set up by a Van Dijk volley and a subsequent error from Everton goalkeeperJordan Pickford.[103] The Dutchman was ultimately awarded thePFA Player of the Month for November 2018.[104] On 21 December, Van Dijk scored his first goal in the Premier League for Liverpool in a 2–0 away win againstWolverhampton Wanderers.[105] The Dutchman continued his impressive form in the 2018–19 season by winning the Premier League Player of the Month prize for December 2018.[106]
In August 2019, Van Dijk won theUEFA Men's Player of the Year Award. On 2 September 2019, he was shortlisted in the final three of the best FIFA football awards.[113] On 23 September 2019, he was voted runner-up inThe Best FIFA Men's Player and into the FIFAFIFpro Men's World 11.[114][115][116] In October 2019, Van Dijk was shortlisted as one in 30 football players for theBallon d'Or.[117] At the event in December, he finished runner-up behindLionel Messi.[118] The edition of the award was controversial in that while many believed that Messi was the justified winner of the award, many others believed that Van Dijk had been unfairly overlooked,[119][120] with teammateFabinho stating that "People always notice strikers more than defenders, but he should have won when you consider what he did individually and how he helped the team win theChampions League".[121] On 21 December 2019, after missing the semi-final of the2019 FIFA Club World Cup with illness, Van Dijk played in thefinal againstFlamengo with Liverpool winning the trophy for the first time in the club's history.[122][123]
Van Dijk received further recognition following the turn of the year, when he was named in the 2019UEFA Team of the Year.[124] On 19 January 2020, Van Dijk scored his firstNorth-West Derby goal against Manchester United in Liverpool's 2–0 win at Anfield in the Premier League.[125][126] Over the course of the 2019–20 domestic campaign, Van Dijk started and completed every minute for Liverpool.[127] Liverpool won the Premier League title in the2019–20 season, their first top-flight title in 30 years.[128]
2020–21 season
On 12 September 2020, Van Dijk scored a headed goal againstLeeds United on the opening day of the new season.[129] On 17 October, he was substituted in the sixth minute of theMerseyside derby after a challenge fromEverton goalkeeperJordan Pickford.[130] On the following day, it was announced that he had suffered anACL injury in his right knee and would undergo surgery.[131] Van Dijk was expected to be out from six to twelve months.[132] On 30 October it was announced that the surgery on his injuries had been successful.[133] Dutch national team coachFrank de Boer had hoped that Van Dijk would be able to make his return beforeUEFA Euro 2020,[134] Van Dijk however decided that he should continue his rehabilitation so he could start the next season fully fit.[135]
2021–22 season
Van Dijk made his first appearance in over nine months on 29 July 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute in a pre-season friendly againstHertha BSC.[136] On 13 August 2021, Van Dijk signed a new four-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2025.[137] His first goal for Liverpool in over 14 months came against his former club Southampton, when he hit a volley from a corner.[138]
On 27 February 2022, Van Dijk helped Liverpool win the2021–22 EFL Cup, scoring hispenalty in theshoot-out over Chelsea after a goalless draw in normal time.[139]
His performances during the2021–22 season earned him a place in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year.[140] Van Dijk earned a runners-up medal in the2021–22 UEFA Champions League,[141] losing the final to Real Madrid, and was selected as part of theTeam of the Season.[142] Liverpool narrowly missed out on the chance to achieve a historic quadruple, coming second in thePremier League and the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League but winning both theEFL Cup and theFA Cup.[143]
2022–23 season
On 29 October 2022, Liverpool lost 2–1 at home toLeeds United which was Van Dijk's first home defeat atAnfield in the Premier League after 70 games since joining the club in January 2018.[144] Van Dijk was criticised for a number of performances in the2022–23 season[145][146] but soon regained his authoritative defensive traits with a performance againstBrentford which led to him being voted Man of the Match byBBC Sport users.[147] At the end of the2022–23 season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification.[148]
2023–24 season
On 31 July 2023, following the departure ofJordan Henderson, Van Dijk was named as Liverpool's new captain.[149] On 27 August, Van Dijk was given his first Liverpool red card following a foul onNewcastle United'sAlexander Isak.[150] Initially, Van Dijk refused to leave the pitch and swore at refereeJohn Brooks.[151] Van Dijk was handed a one-match ban for the contentious red card, but was given an additional game ban after he admitted to acting in an 'improper manner' towards a match official. He was also fined £100,000 for his use of abusive words.[152][153] On 25 February 2024, he won his first trophy as Liverpool captain and scored the only goal from a header in extra time of a 1–0 victory over Chelsea in theEFL Cup final.[154] In the process, he was adjudged the man of the match and won theAlan Hardaker Trophy for the second time in his career, making him the fourth person to do so, along withJohn Terry,Vincent Kompany andBen Foster.[155]
2024–25 season
Van Dijk entered thefinal season of his current contract with no clear idea regarding his future at Liverpool. On 21 October, it was reported he began talks with the club about a new deal.[156] In his 290th appearance for Liverpool, a 1–0 win overGirona in the UEFA Champions League in December 2024, Van Dijk became the first Liverpool player to reach 200 wins in under 300 appearances.[157]
On 17 April 2025, Van Dijk signed a two-year contract extension, six days afterMohamed Salah also extended his contract.[158]
On 27 April 2025, Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions after a 5–1 win at home againstTottenham Hotspur with Van Dijk winning a second Premier League title and first as captain. It was arecord-tying 20th English league title for Liverpool.[159] On 25 May 2025, Liverpool were presented with the Premier League trophy after a 1–1 home draw withCrystal Palace on the final day of the season. Van Dijk received the trophy from former Liverpool captainAlan Hansen.[160]
On 12 May 2010, Van Dijk made his debut for theNetherlands U19 in a friendly against South Korea U19.[162] Then on 14 November 2011, Van Dijk made his debut for theNetherlands U21 in a qualifying match against Scotland U21 and played a further two friendlies for the team.[163]
Van Dijk was awarded the captaincy of his country by managerRonald Koeman on 22 March 2018,[170] leading the team for the first time in a 1–0 home friendly defeat byEngland the next day.[171] On 26 March, he scored his first international goal to conclude a 3–0 win over European championsPortugal at theStade de Genève.[172] On 13 October, he scored in a 3–0 win overGermany in the group stage of the2018–19 UEFA Nations League.[173] On 19 November, he scored a 91st minute equalising goal in a 2–2 draw away to the same opposition to qualify the Netherlands from their Nations League group.[174] In June 2019, Van Dijk captained the Netherlands at the2019 UEFA Nations League Finals, where they finished as runner-up after being beaten 1–0 by host nation Portugal in thefinal on 9 June.[175]
In May 2021, Van Dijk ruled himself out of playing in the postponedUEFA Euro 2020 to have enough time to recover after a long-term injury since October 2020.[176] In November 2022, Van Dijk was announced as the Dutch captain for the2022 FIFA World Cup. He led his team to the top ofGroup A with wins overSenegal and hostsQatar.[177][178] In the quarter-final match againstArgentina, Van Dijk took the first kick of the tie-breakingpenalty shootout which was saved by Argentine goalkeeperEmiliano Martínez as the Dutch were beaten 4–3 inLusail.[179]
In June 2023, Van Dijk was part of the Netherlands' squad for the2023 UEFA Nations League Finals, where he captained the team against bothCroatia in the semi-final andItaly in the third place play-off.[180][181] On 29 May 2024, Van Dijk was named in the Netherlands' squad forUEFA Euro 2024,[182] and led his country to the semi-finals of the tournament, where they were eventually defeated byEngland.[183]
Van Dijk is a physically strong, right-footedcentre-back, who usually features on the left-hand side of central defence, although he can also play as a right-sided centre-back.[185][5][186] He is gifted with pace,[187] good technique, and an eye for goal, and is an effectiveset-piece taker. Regarding his ability, former Celtic teammate Kris Commons commented that Van Dijk was "comfortable on the ball", also noting that "He had good technique and a wonderful right foot. He was good on set-pieces, some of the free-kicks he scored for Celtic are absolute wonders. He could read the game well. He had an aura about him, a confidence, because I think he knew he was good."[188]
Neil McGuinness, senior scout at Celtic when Van Dijk was signed, called him "everything you would want if you could create a profile of the ideal central defender", praising him as a "very smooth ball-playing defender" who possesses aerial prowess, skills from dead ball situations, and "strong leadership qualities", while commenting that since his move to England, he is "more tactically aware now [...] his anticipation and timing has improved and he is a lot more of an all-rounder".[186] McGuinness believes Van Dijk's "biggest problem" is that he "can switch off when the game is comfortable".[186] In 2018, Steve Douglas ofThe Globe and Mail described Van Dijk with the following words: "Powerful in the air, measured with the ball at his feet, quick, and with superb positional sense, van Dijk [sic] has it all."[189] Dario Pergolizzi also described Van Dijk as a good marker in 2019.[190]
In a 2019 interview withMarca, when Lionel Messi was asked why Van Dijk was so difficult to beat, the Argentine responded: "He is a defender who knows how to judge his timing and wait for the right moment to challenge or jockey [the attacker]. He is very fast and big, but he has a lot of agility for his height. He is fast because of its [sic] great stride, and he is impressive both in defence and attack because he scores lots of goals."[191]
That same year,Paul Merson described Van Dijk as "the best in the world, and I think by a long way, as a defensive centre-half."[5] In 2020,Vincent Kompany called Van Dijk the best centre-back to ever appear in the Premier League, claiming the Liverpool "before Van Dijk and the other after him, it's a completely different setup".[3] In 2022,Erling Haaland named Van Dijk the best defender he has played against, calling him "fast, strong and 'bad' smart", as well as praising his timing.[192] In 2023,Ben Foster claimed that Van Dijk was the "best defender that has ever lived" during his pre-injury run with Liverpool.[4]
In 2024, Van Dijk revealed that while his childhood favourite team used to beBarcelona, his biggest inspiration as a defender wasAC Milan's center backAlessandro Nesta.[193] He had also namedRonaldinho as his favourite player of all time, who in turn called Van Dijk the best defender of his generation.[194][195]
Sponsorship
Van Dijk features as the cover star of the champions edition ofEA Sports'FIFA video gameFIFA 20.[196] He is endorsed by sportswear companyNike.[197]
Personal life
"Nobody really knows the reason. What exactly happened is private and I won't tell the media. It's nobody's business. But my father is no longer in my life."
— Dutch International, Virgil van Dijk, on his name, in 2018.[198][199]
Van Dijk commonly uses only hisfirst name on the kit. According to his uncle Steven, this is because of afamily feud with his father, who abandoned his family during van Dijk's childhood.[200]
Van Dijk met his wife Rike Nooitgedagt in 2011 when he was 20 and they have been married since the summer of 2017.[201][202] The couple's first child was born 2014, they now have four children.[203][204]
In September 2025, a stand at Sportpark Prinsenhoeve, the home ground of the youth team of van Dijk's former club Willem II, was renamed theVirgil van Dijk Tribune in his honour. The club described it as "a sign of appreciation for the career of the former Willem II youth player, who grew into one of the best defenders in the world", as well as a gesture "to permanently inspire new generations of youth players."[205][206]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 22 November 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^"IFFHS MEN'S WORLD TEAM 2022". International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 11 January 2023.Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved11 January 2023.
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