Van Dijk: Xavi convinced him to stay with the Netherlands in 10s

Van Dijk backs continued international career after brief chat with Xavi

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has revealed that a short conversation with newly appointed Netherlands manager Xavi Hernández convinced him to extend his international career. After a post-tournament break, the 35-year-old centre-back said the decision to carry on was immediate once he spoke with Xavi.

“I needed a holiday with my family, then time to talk with Xavi… and after ten seconds, it was clear I’d carry on,” Van Dijk explained (quotes via Fabrizio Romano). When asked what Xavi had said to make his mind up so quickly, the defender quoted the new coach: “What did he say? That I’m Virgil van Dijk!”.

Captaincy and international milestones

Xavi has confirmed that Van Dijk will retain the captaincy as Oranje prepare for their upcoming fixture against Germany. Van Dijk’s international career began in October 2015; he was named Dutch captain in 2018 and has led the Netherlands across multiple major tournaments, including as skipper at the FIFA World Cup.

Currently sitting on 96 caps for Oranje, Van Dijk’s commitment keeps him within striking distance of 100 appearances. With Xavi now at the helm, the Liverpool defender is set to lead the Netherlands through the next two-year international cycle.

Source: Original report