As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Virgil van Dijk is preparing to captain the Netherlands at the World Cup in North America while reflecting on a remarkable personal achievement: playing every minute of the entire Premier League season. Set to turn 35 next month, the Liverpool stalwart’s enduring fitness and dedication offer a blueprint for longevity in elite football.
The 2025-26 campaign saw Van Dijk become the only outfield player across the league to feature in every single minute of action. This feat came during a challenging season for Liverpool, where their Premier League title defence under former manager Arne Slot did not go to plan. It also followed the 2024-25 season, where he was rested for the final game against Brighton, making his recent ironman status even more significant.
Speaking in Liverpool FC’s official eMagazine WALK ON, Van Dijk attributed his sustained peak performance to a simple, yet rigorous, philosophy. “Discipline, discipline and discipline!” he stated. “For me it is something that is quite normal because I feel the responsibility to be there every time and also to perform every time.”
With 374 appearances for Liverpool over eight-and-a-half seasons, during which he has lifted every major trophy, Van Dijk has consistently defied the physical demands of the game. Even in the season immediately following a significant knee injury, he managed to play over 40 matches. He elaborated on the comprehensive approach required to maintain such a high standard.
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“So, yes, it is a combination of recovering well, eating well, the right lifestyle in total, also physical therapy,” Van Dijk explained. “I can’t tell you the details, but yoga, everything. That’s part of it, to make sure that you can perform at a constant level.”
As he heads into his second World Cup finals appearance, Van Dijk also embraces his role as an elder statesman within the Liverpool squad. “I’m in a situation where obviously I am the oldest in the team,” he acknowledged, adding that it doesn’t change his approach. He aims to inspire the next generation, particularly with new head coach Andoni Iraola set to take the reins at Anfield and potential defensive partners like incoming signing Jeremy Jacquet or young Italian Giovanni Leoni expected to feature.
“I just want to inspire – let other players see what I do in order to be playing the amount of games I’ve been playing and the consistency that I have,” he said. “It’s down to them as well to make that next step.” For Van Dijk, who was named third captain just six months after joining the club, his journey at Liverpool has been nothing short of a “privilege.”
Sources: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
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