‘I needed it…’ – Liverpool player explains why he asked to forego pre-season tour to USA

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has explained why he asked to forego the Reds’ pre-season tour to the United States.The 35-year-old was one of eight current LFC players involved at the World Cup, with the club typically granting three weeks off after the end of a player’s participation in summer international tournaments.However, whereas Netherlands teammate Ryan Gravenberch did fly out for some of the Stateside tour (along with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, whose nations also fell at the round of 32 in the World Cup), the long-serving defender had a slightly extended holiday before returning to the AXA Training Centre a fortnight ago.Van Dijk asked for an extended break after the World CupSpeaking to reporters after Liverpool’s defeat to Monaco on Sunday, Van Dijk revealed that he’d asked for extra time off so that he’d be at peak condition for the new season, rather than going back before feeling ready.He said (via BBC Sport): “I definitely asked for a good break because I felt like I needed it, not only physically but mentally as well.“It was a very demanding year from before pre-season started last year until the day I got knocked out of the World Cup so I felt like I needed a good break and I had maybe three days more than Ryan, Flo and Alex.“For me, it was key. I didn’t want to go to America because I didn’t want to get jetlag and after coming back from that as well, and I felt like having a couple of extra days at the AXA, doing the testing before the team was there and getting ready for when the team was back to immediately crack on.

I felt that was personally the best way.”Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustVan Dijk had more than earned the extra time offThe optics of the club captain asking to be exempted from the pre-season tour mightn’t seem great, but Van Dijk’s reasons for asking for additional time off are wholly justified.Even as the oldest member of the squad, he played the most out of anyone for Liverpool in 2025/26, clocking up 4,941 minutes in total (he was ever-present in the Premier League), plus a further 1,200 for Netherlands over the past 12 months.Nobody at Anfield has done more than him to earn a slightly longer break, not only for his exploits last season but also ever since he joined the Reds in January 2018.

The Dutchman has nothing to prove when it comes to demonstrating his commitment to the cause, that’s for sure.Van Dijk may also have been conscious of the scarcely believable situation of his three fellow senior centre-backs all being injured for most of the U.S. tour (even if it opened a window of opportunity to the gifted Ifeanyi Ndukwe) and sought to protect himself for the beginning of competitive action later this month.The captain’s fitness levels would suggest that he could well manage another ever-present Premier League campaign, but Iraola must also be mindful not to overwork the 35-year-old this season if it can be helped.