Virgil van Dijk's one-word secret to Liverpool longevity as 35th birthday nears
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk will be 35 years of age next month, but he shows no signs of slowing down at the very top level of professional soccer just yetVirgil van Dijk is determined to keep on playing at the top(Image: Getty Images)Virgil van Dijk may be approaching his 35th birthday next month, yet his appearance record suggests there is little indication that he is ready to ease off at the highest level of professional soccer just yet.The Liverpool captain has spent eight-and-a-half seasons at Anfield, accumulating 374 appearances and collecting every major honor along the way, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest defenders ever to don the iconic red shirt.Last season proved a challenging one for Liverpool and departing manager Arne Slot, and while the Reds' Premier League title defense fell short of expectations, Van Dijk was the sole ever-present in the squad.Remarkably, the Dutch international was the only outfield player to feature for every single minute of the entire Premier League campaign, also chipping in with six league goals to further bolster his impressive record.When it comes to accounting for his remarkable longevity, Van Dijk is refreshingly candid about what drives him.Speaking in Liverpool FC's official eMagazine, WALK ON, about his longevity, he needed just one word to reveal his secret: discipline.Van Dijk is aiming to win the World Cup(Image: Getty Images)Van Dijk said: "Discipline, discipline and discipline! For me, it is something that is quite normal because I feel the responsibility to be there every time and also to perform every time."Last year [2024-25] I didn't do it [play every minute] because for the Brighton game at the end of the season, I was on the bench."So, it's not really a surprise, but obviously, I'm doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes in order to be ready and take the responsibility for the team.
That's part of it, to make sure that you can perform at a constant level."I've had one season here that unfortunately I had to miss a lot of, but in the rest of the seasons I think I've played more than 40 matches. And I think the most matches before this season have been played in the season after my knee injury."That's quite remarkable.
When I heard that, I thought it was quite interesting. And I do everything for that, and I want to keep doing it at the highest level."There will be no respite for Van Dijk now that the Premier League campaign has finished.