Monday Musings: What would World Cup glory mean for Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's legacy?

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Ever since Virgil van Dijk established himself as one of world football's premier defenders during his time at Liverpool, comparisons to some of the greatest center backs in Premier League history have followed naturally.From John Terry to Nemanja Vidić and beyond, van Dijk's name is routinely mentioned alongside the defining defenders of the modern era. Given his résumé, it's difficult to argue otherwise.The Dutchman has won multiple Premier League titles, lifted the Champions League, captained Liverpool through one of the club's most successful periods, and came agonizingly close to becoming the first defender in more than a decade to win the Ballon d'Or, finishing just seven points behind Lionel Messi in 2019.For all of his accomplishments at club level, however, there remains one glaring omission from van Dijk's list of achievements: major international silverware.Steady improvement on the international stageAfter the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, van Dijk helped usher in a new era for the Oranje.

The Netherlands have steadily grown into a genuine contender on the international stage with van Dijk wearing the captain's armband, even if they are still often viewed as a tier below traditional powerhouses such as Spain and France.Of course, winning a World Cup is never easy, and the Dutch would likely need to overcome several favored nations to lift the trophy. But football history is filled with teams that defied expectations when the stakes were highest.And that raises an intriguing question.If van Dijk were to captain the Netherlands to World Cup glory, would that finally elevate him from one of the greatest defenders of his generation to the greatest defender of the 21st century?

Could it even place him in the conversation for the greatest center back the game has ever seen?I say yes.Before the big man can even begin dreaming of lifting the World Cup trophy, the Netherlands must first navigate what appears to be one of the tournament's more challenging groups.Tough 2026 World Cup group drawDrawn into Group F, the Dutch will face Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia in the opening stage of the competition—a trio of opponents capable of making life uncomfortable for any nation that underestimates them.Japan, in particular, have built a reputation for upsetting established powers on the world's biggest stage. But when adversity inevitably arrives—and it always does during a World Cup run—it is the captain who is expected to set the tone.And should he successfully guide a young Dutch side through the expanded knockout gauntlet, it would only strengthen the case that his influence extends far beyond his individual performances.Of course, all of this ultimately leads to one destination: the World Cup Final.If the Netherlands put together a memorable run and reach football's biggest match, they would be able to lean on a captain who is no stranger to the pressures that accompany winner-take-all occasions.Between the Champions League, domestic cups and international finals, VVD has played in 12 major winner-take-all games, winning seven of them; being equipped with the tools to handle that kind of environment will be invaluable to the Dutch if they can go all the way.Perhaps the best example of van Dijk's leadership in a final came during Liverpool's iconic 2024 Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea.