Virgil van Dijk was born on the 8th of July, 1991 in the Netherlands. He is a highly talented defender, who mainly anchors the central defense of Liverpool. His 6ft 3in (1.93m) height and weight of 14st 6lb (92kg) makes him a formidable figure on the football pitch. Sporting the number 4 jersey, van Dijk's prowess does not stop at club level, as he has also worn the Netherlands national team colours with distinction.
His professional career kicked off when he joined FC Groningen in the Eredivisie, the premier division in the Netherlands, back in July 2010. His maiden season in 2010/2011 saw him get a taste of first-team football, making two appearances in league matches. The following season saw a substantial increase in his involvement, boasting 23 first team appearances and netting three goals. The 2012/2013 season proved to be even busier for him, making 32 first team appearances and scoring twice.
The biggest move of his career thus far came in July 2013, when he joined Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. The transfer fee came to a sum of approximately £2.6m. His first season in Scotland saw 36 first team appearances and five goals, hinting at his scoring ability. The 2014/2015 season saw a similar amount of playtime, contributing 35 first team appearances and scoring four goals. The 2015/2016 season, however, was brief for him when it comes to time on the pitch, having played just five league matches.
In a recap of his time at Celtic, it becomes clear that van Dijk heavily influenced the squad. His above-average scoring prowess for a defender combined with his ability to make sustained appearances, underscore his value to Celtic during his tenure there. Although some might argue that his last season at the club was less impressive, it is crucial to keep in mind that he wasn't at Parkhead for long before making his next move.
That was a transfer to Southampton in the Championship, coming with a price tag of around £12m, in September 2015. For Southampton, van Dijk made 34 first team appearances and scored three goals in the 2015/2016 season. He remained at the club until January 2018, but his last season there was cut short as he only featured 12 times.
Then he made the monumental switch to Liverpool in the Premier League with a staggering fee of around £75m. Since putting on the red jersey, he has been an ever-present figure in the Liverpool defence. Scoring consistently while also exerting a stabilizing influence on the backline, he currently continues to play key roles in both domestic and European tournaments, including the FA Cup, World Cup Qualifiers for the Netherlands and Champions League for Liverpool.