Virgil van Dijk has made waves by excluding Cristiano Ronaldo from his list of toughest opponents, eliciting shocking reactions from many.
Van Dijk instead opted for Barcelona great Lionel Messi, rising star Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, and former Premier League striker Olivier Giroud.
What year did Van Dijk join Liverpool?
Since his high-profile transfer to Liverpool in 2018 for a staggering £75 million, Van Dijk has solidified his status as one of the world’s best defenders.
His contributions have been instrumental in Liverpool’s triumphs across various competitions, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup, pitting him against some of football’s most formidable talents.
Despite facing off against Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2018 Champions League final and on numerous other occasions in the premier league, the Real Madrid icon failed to make an appearance on Van Dijk’s list of toughest opponents.
Virgil Van Dijk names toughest opponents in football
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he explained his decision to pick Haaland and Aguero.
Virgil Van Dijk reserved praises for Erling Haaland, lauding the young striker’s strength and directness on the pitch.
He said: “I would say Erling Haaland is a very difficult opponent, [he is] very strong, a modern-day striker.
“It’s directness. If you give them an inch then they will punish you.
He also singled out Sergio Aguero for his relentless attacking prowess and clinical finishing, recounting the challenges of facing the Argentine forward during his time at Southampton.
“It’s the same with Aguero. He didn’t score many goals against us, but since I played against him when I was at Southampton he was always a handful, he could finish with his left or right, but you always had to be at your best.
“I remember one goal he scored against us in 2018-19, he came in front of Dejan Lovren from a cross and finished it so quickly.”
Olivier Giroud is amongst Van Dijk’s toughest opponents
Olivier Giroud, known more for his hold-up play than his goal-scoring exploits in the Premier League, earned recognition from Van Dijk for his ability to create scoring opportunities and find the back of the net against tough opposition.
Despite initial doubts about Giroud’s scoring capabilities, Virgil Van Dijk acknowledges the Frenchman’s knack for surprising defenders and capitalizing on scoring chances.
Giroud was not prolific during his time in the Premier League but Van Dijk explained what made the Frenchman a tough opponent.
He said: “He was a link-up player, together at the time with Eden Hazard, it was always Hazard giving him the flick and he would hold up the ball.
“He also scored good goals against me. I always felt like he wasn’t going to score, but he managed to score.
Virgil Van Dijk has been impeccable this season, forming a formidable partnership with Ibrahima Konate and leading his team to the top of the premier league table.
The Dutchman has played 29 games this season, scoring 4 goals and providing 1 assist, while also amassing 12 clean sheets for the Reds.
