Virgil van Dijk fires 'simply bad' message to team-mates as Liverpool man has 'forgotten joy'

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk during Holland's World Cup qualifier at Lithuania on September 7 2025(Image: Roy Lazet/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Virgil van Dijk was less than impressed with Holland's latest World Cup qualifier on a busy night of international action for Liverpool players.

Van Dijk skippered the Dutch national team to a narrow 3-2 victory in Lithuania on Sunday evening to retain their place at the top of Group G.

However, Ronald Koeman's side - for whom Cody Gakpo assisted the first goal and Ryan Gravenberch remained an unused substitute - threw away a two-goal lead before Memphis Depay struck his second during a match in which he surpassed Robin van Persie to become his country's all-time leading scorer.

And Van Dijk took a dim view of the performance with Holland having been held at home by nearest group rivals Poland on Thursday evening.

READ MORE:Ibrahima Konate makes Real Madrid transfer joke as Liverpool stance on Marc Guehi emergesREAD MORE:Liverpool 'a little bit aggrieved' at outcome as goalkeeper issue confirmed

"We had a good 2-0 lead, but it ended too easily at 2-2, which made things difficult for ourselves," said the Liverpool defender.

"It was simply bad.

The most important thing is the three points, but if we want to make progress, this obviously can't happen.

"We all need to look in the mirror and do much better.

That's what we're aiming for."

Elsewhere, Florian Wirtz scored a superb free-kick to seal a 3-1 win for Germany against Northern Ireland - for whom Conor Bradley started - in their World Cup qualifier in his home region of Cologne.

However, the feedback from the German media was largely critical in the belief his performances have been affected by his move to Liverpool and the Premier League.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.

Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

BILD said: “For a long time, as was the case during the Slovakia match, we wondered: Where has our magic foot from his Leverkusen days gone?

But then he let it rip, hammering the dream free kick into the net to make it 3-1!”

And Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung reported: "He seems to have forgotten his joy of playing in Liverpool.