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Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez are known to be close friends at Liverpool(Image: Youtube/Liverpool)

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez might be close mates, but that didn't prevent the Dutch defender from mercilessly mocking his team-mate during a challenging training drill.

The pair previously formed a rock-solid defensive partnership at the heart of Liverpool's backline when the Reds won the Premier League title under Jurgen Klopp in 2020.

Injury setbacks and Ibrahima Konate's arrival in 2021 have hampered Gomez's development in recent campaigns.



Nevertheless, Gomez - who has been subject to transfer speculation as Liverpool pursue additional defensive options - remains the club's longest-serving player, having joined in 2015, and stands as a respected member of the squad.

That status, however, didn't spare him from his captain's ruthless jibes during a coordination exercise where partners take turns dropping and catching a stick mid-air.

In footage released by Liverpool this week, Gomez can be seen fumbling attempts to snatch the falling stick, prompting Van Dijk to ruthlessly tease his friend, who eventually reminds him: "This is on camera by the way".

A visibly frustrated Gomez finally manages to catch the stick before attempting to turn the tables on the Liverpool captain with the same challenge.

While he briefly outwits Van Dijk, ever the professional, the Liverpool captain catches the baton effortlessly every time, denying Gomez any opportunity for payback after the brutal mockery he'd just endured.

Virgil Van Dijk was not impressed with Joe Gomez in the training activity (Image: YouTube/Liverpool FC)

The footage serves as further proof of the strong bond between the Liverpool pair.

"We've been through everything together here at the club, highs and lows and you know we are very close to each other."

Gomez has also shared his thoughts on Van Dijk's leadership since the latter became captain in the summer of 2023.

I know what it means for him, and I really get to see the inside and how things sometimes are tough.

"The little things that people might not see in a training ground when you need to make decisions or enforce moments when it's like, 'Lads, we need to be better at this' or it might be timekeeping, it might be different things that you don't want to slip out of place.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez played a huge part in Liverpool's Premier League victory back in 2020(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"Virg has done it in his own way, and it's made him even more appreciated amongst us as a team.

He found himself excluded from Arne Slot's squad at the season's outset due to doubts over his future and didn't make his first Premier League appearance until the end of September.

The 28-year-old was in the starting lineup for 11 of his 17 appearances, including nine in the league.