Virgil van Dijk was born in the Netherlands on the 8th of July, 1991. A commanding figure on the football pitch, he stands at an imposing 6ft 3in (1.93m), weighing in at 14st 6lb (92kg). Today, he's best known for his central defender role at Liverpool FC, sporting the number 4 jersey.
Van Dijk's professional journey began at FC Groningen in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands in July 2010. His debut 2010 - 2011 season saw him make just two first team appearances in league matches. By the 2011 - 2012 season at FC Groningen, Van Dijk was gaining more of a foothold in the team, making 23 first team appearances and netting three goals. For the 2012 - 2013 season, van Dijk made 32 appearances for the Dutch club, scoring twice.
Come July 2013, van Dijk set his sights on pastures new and decamped from the Eredivisie to join Celtic in the Premiership in Scotland. The cost of this transfer sat in the region of a cool £2.6m. Whilst plying his trade in Scotland, Van Dijk made 36 first team appearances, scoring 5 goals in the league for the 2013 - 2014 season. His second season, 2014 - 2015, at Celtic was similarly fruitful as he made 35 appearances and scored four times. It is worth not shying away from the fact that despite only a short five match stint in the 2015 - 2016 season at Celtic, his performances were of such calibre that they secured him a move to the English Premier League.
Van Dijk transferred from Celtic to Southampton in September 2015 for an estimated £12m. He became a consistent presence in the side, making 34 first team appearances and netting three goals in the 2015 - 2016 season. The following season saw him make 21 first team appearances and a single goal. The 2017 - 2018 season at Southampton was cut short, with the Dutchman only making 12 appearances.
In a high-profle move in January 2018, Liverpool saw potential in van Dijk and transferred him to their ranks for a hefty sum of £75m. Since joining the Reds, he has consistently demonstrated his worth. Over several seasons van Dijk has made over 25 first team appearances and maintains a healthy goal scoring rate.
On an international level, van Dijk has been an asset to the Netherlands, contributing solid performances in both the Euro 2024 and the Euro Qualifiers in 2022 - 2024. He has also contributed to Liverpool's efforts in the Champions League and Europa League. Just as he does for his club, he wears the number 4 jersey when representing his country.
