‘I should not have said that’ – Virgil van Dijk acknowledges regret following Wembley video as Liverpool defender says emotions got the best of him.
Virgil van Dijk tells why he regrets his ‘finished’ comment as he lifts the lid on his first season as Liverpool captain.
With a Carabao Cup winner’s medal around his neck and Liverpool’s latest achievement still being celebrated around him, Virgil van Dijk reserved a pointed message for his doubters.
Sitting in the bowels of Wembley Stadium, fresh off receiving the Player of the Match award after scoring the winning goal to defeat Chelsea on February 25, Van Dijk taunted the camera, saying, “They thought I was finished!”
Some saw it as a cold rebuke to those who had written off the Netherlands captain the previous season, when the Reds struggled to their lowest rank in Jurgen Klopp’s whole managerial tenure, missing out on Champions League qualification in the process.
Van Dijk has now expressed regret over the post-match video, arguing that he should not have confronted his detractors in such a way, believing that it sent the “wrong intentions” in retrospect.
In a wide-ranging interview, the in-form Liverpool captain discussed the inspiration he draws from fellow Nike stable member LeBron James, as well as the changes he has made to his preparation to ensure he is once again in contention for Premier League Player of the Year, four years after a career-threatening knee injury that was the source of those seeking to tear him down.
In a brutally honest interview following Liverpool’s 6-1 thrashing of Sparta Prague in the Europa League last-16, Van Dijk admitted: “I shouldn’t have said that. Because I don’t want to have bad intentions. That was part of the emotion spilling out of me because I was experiencing so many emotions throughout my body that day.
“Last season was dismal. Not disappointing in the sense that I was horrible; I did not feel that way at all; I was simply below my standards, and the consistency that I have had and set for myself in each and every game was lacking.
“I completely understand the noise that came with that, but I am a human being and am not immune to any of it, so there was some emotion that day, but I should not have said that [to the camera].
“Maybe it was nice to say since it got it off my chest, but I dislike commotion around me. I like playing the game. Positive noise is good, but I simply want to be my best version on the field and do the best I can since things have been going extremely well for me this season, and big kudos to the entire squad for overcoming the hurdles we faced.
“I know I had a significant part in that; I knew I had to step up, and I did, and I think the little [tactical] modification we made last March has made me feel a lot better. The summer break was quite beneficial, and it helped me become in great shape.”
Nike announced this week a cooperation between Liverpool and NBA superstar LeBron James, the second of its sort following the 2023 edition. This time, Van Dijk was called up to participate in the major roll-out, which was captioned by the American sportswear titans as ‘Two idols clash’.
James, a minority stakeholder in Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, is one of the world’s most well-known athletes, and Van Dijk admits he has been affected by the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s dominance of the NBA over the last two decades.
Van Dijk says, “We haven’t spoken, but we’ve exchanged
messages.” I spotted the billboard this week, and it’s wonderful. I like basketball. Funnily enough, I look at all of the top athletes at the highest level because I believe they all play an important role, either as a role model or for their team and community, and there is so much to learn. The way they behave themselves on the field or court, as well as what they do to achieve greatness.
“I could mention so many, including LeBron, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Tom Brady. I enjoy listening to these people and learning about how they dealt with being at the top and coping with both bad and positive occasions. We constantly hear about the negative aspects, but you also have to cope with the positive.
“The slogan he uses (Strive For Greatness) is wonderful and may be utilized for a variety of purposes. Personally, I try to follow that because I want to realize my full potential in life and get the most out of myself, my team, and the situation we are in.
“We are in an excellent position to do it this season – again. Every season presents its own set of challenges, but this season is particularly difficult. There are no guarantees, but we believe it is rather unique in terms of how we have faced challenges as a group, such as the manager’s news, all of the red cards at the start of the season, how we dealt with injuries, and we must forget the young lads. It’s been a wonderful season thus far, and we’ll have to see how it ends.”
Van Dijk was key in essentially negating Manchester City’s threat in last week’s 1-1 draw at Anfield, with the Netherlands international being one of the standout players on the day in a fantastic advertisement for the Premier League.
That performance added to Van Dijk’s increasing list of outstanding performances this season, and his immaculate form is likely to put him in contention for PFA Player of the Year later this season.
“I feel very comfortable this season in every aspect of the game,” Van Dijk said. “Obviously, confidence is a key driver when you play the game, but overall, I believe I’ve made significant progress in possession.
“The manager mentioned the other day that it’s not as simple as wearing the armband, and I believe a lot of things suddenly clicked again. I feel great, and my duty has helped, but I feel like I’ve taken another step forward. I made progress in possession and defense, and I truly enjoy it; I want to keep doing it and see where it takes me.”
The £75 million signing has been inspiring this season, leading the Reds into the last two months of the campaign pursuing a spectacular quadruple. Van Dijk and his teammates are firmly in the Premier League title race after winning their 10th League Cup trophy last month. They will face Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday afternoon after learning their path to May’s Europa League final in Dublin on Friday, which begins with a visit from Serie A side Atalanta in the last eight.
The fact that Van Dijk, who will enter the final 12 months of his contract at the conclusion of the season, is still producing at such a high level as he approaches his 33rd birthday in July demonstrates the Netherlands captain’s preparedness and professionalism.
He explains, “Since I started at Southampton, I’ve paid a lot more attention to building my own little squad around me. That certainly improves my life, health, and performance far more than it did previously. And it was fine before, but I want to improve and make the most of it, because hard effort that no one sees is the key to success.
“I have my own physiotherapist and chef, which are both very crucial. I conduct my rehab so that I can be fully prepared for the next challenge. Especially when you have three games a week and we travel a lot, I will come home and have treatment from my personal physio until the middle of the night, and we will do a little bit of aqua work and be in the pool, as well as make sure we eat the right things, to be ready for a good recovery day the following day.
“Then the next day is already matchday minus one, so things like that are critical to not only being accessible but also performing at your peak. I appreciate it, although it sometimes requires a lot of dedication. I could never complain because I am doing the best work in my opinion, and because I have always wanted to do it, it is always something I enjoy.”
