Virgil van Dijk shuts down age critics with emphatic Liverpool declaration

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After an exhausting year where he played every single meaningful minute in the Premier League and missed just two of Liverpool’s 57 matches across all competitions before powering straight into a punishing World Cup campaign with Netherlands guiding them to the Round of 32 but were eliminated following a penalty shootout defeat against Morocco. the 35-year-old knew his body needed something different.Speaking to reporters after game he stated:“I definitely asked for a good break because I felt like I needed it, not only physically but mentally as well,” Van Dijk explained with trademark openness.“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. What about you going to say I'm 35 years old and I can't do it?

I won't say lucky but you have to do everything in your power and that's the bare minimum for me.Virgil van Dijk on the demands of top-flight football at the age of 35 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qJvRnp6aSd— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) August 10, 2026"And because I feel the responsibility to be ready each and every game so every three days you have to be... And so for me, you know, I feel good.

I feel fine and I want to be part of a successful Liverpool team and I want to make all the fans proud all over the world that support us wherever we go and that's by winning games and that's by showing what it means to where they show it every time and that's for me, the bare minimum anyway. The main thing for him to know is that I am here for him regardless, anything he needs, wants to know, wants me to do for the team or whatever, I am here for him and hopefully we will be successful this season, and that’s what we want."Nothing to take away from Arne (Slot) and his staff, we had an amazing time together, obviously last year a disappointment.