Virgil van Dijk cut off a Dutch reporter at the Netherlands’ pre-match press conference on Wednesday, calling the claim that he had personally pushed former head coach Ronald Koeman toward a back five at the 2026 World Cup “utter nonsense.”

“One of your colleagues also said, of course, that it was my idea to switch to playing with a back five. That is utter nonsense,” Van Dijk told reporters.

“The plan is devised by the staff.”

Koeman moved from a back four to a five-man defense for the Netherlands’ round-of-32 tie against Morocco. The Dutch went out, and Koeman later stepped down. Van Dijk pushed back on the wider accusation that he had personally derailed the campaign.

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“I was told that it was my fault we played with five, that Ronald Koeman and I have destroyed Dutch football,” he said. “The idea that I destroyed Dutch football makes absolutely no sense. I didn’t decide that.”

“We simply failed at the World Cup. Those are the hard facts.”

Klopp: ‘Virgil should tell you that’

At Germany’s own briefing, Klopp waded into the row on the eve of his first competitive game in charge after replacing Julian Nagelsmann.

“I think you yourselves know that you are quite critical. Virgil should tell you that,” Klopp said.

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“Then the captain gets more criticism too. Virgil has had a lot of great moments in his career and also a few lesser ones. Because he is not only physically present, but normally also because of his performances, I can imagine that he gets singled out a bit.”

Klopp has known Van Dijk since signing him for Liverpool in January 2018. Thursday’s fixture is the first time they have faced each other as opponents.

Klopp’s Germany bow in Amsterdam

Nagelsmann resigned after Germany went out of the World Cup at the round of 32 to Paraguay on penalties, and Klopp took the job in July on a contract that runs to the 2030 World Cup. Across the pitch, Xavi Hernandez succeeded Koeman in August, the first non-Dutch head coach of the Oranje men since Ernst Happel in 1978.

The match opens UEFA Nations League A Group 2 for both sides, with Serbia and Greece completing the group. Xavi has been forced to reshape his squad, with Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert both out injured; Mexx Meerdink and Guus Til have been called up.

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Kick-off at the Johan Cruijff ArenA is at 8:45pm local time.

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