Virgil van Dijk, born in the Netherlands on 8 July 1991, is a central defender, currently with Liverpool. Standing at a formidable 6ft 3in (1.93m) and weighing in at 14st 6lb (92kg), he dons the number 4 jersey. Van Dijk has also represented his country at the international level as part of the Netherlands’ national team.
Van Dijk's professional career began at FC Groningen in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands in July 2010. His tenure at Groningen was one of steady growth, making a meagre two appearances in his debut season but later amassing 32 appearances with two goals to his name in the 2012 - 2013 season.
July 2013 marked a crucial juncture in van Dijk's career as he moved to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership for a reported fee of around £2.6m. It was here that van Dijk truly flourished, making 36 appearances for the Hoops in his debut season, and managing to find the back of the net on five occasions. In the following season, he maintained a solid presence on the pitch with 35 appearances and four goals. His final season at Celtic, although brief, consisted of five league matches.
Having proven his worth at Celtic, van Dijk was snapped up by Southampton in England's Championship division in September 2015 for a sum of around £12m. He continued to impress with 34 appearances and three goals in his first season. However, his tenure at the club was marred by a significant dip in form and fitness during the 2017-2018 season when he made only 12 appearances.
Van Dijk's performances at Southampton caught the attention of Premier League heavyweights Liverpool, who secured his services in January 2018 for a staggering £75m. Since joining Liverpool, van Dijk has become a stalwart of their defence. His most notable seasons include the 2018 - 2019 and 2019 - 2020 seasons where he made 38 appearances and scored four and five goals respectively. In the current 2025 - 2026 season, he has already appeared 34 times and scored four goals.
Along with his league contributions, van Dijk has been a valuable asset in major tournaments, participating in the FA Cup, World Cup Qualifiers for Europe, FA Community Shield, and the Champions League, among others. His performances have played a key part in both Liverpool's and the Netherlands' respective successes in these competitions.
