Netherlands international, Virgil Van Dijk said he decided to join Liverpool football club instead of Manchester City because he had to consider the pedigree of the club and the future he could have at the club.
Van Dijk is currently the best defender in the world and was very close to winning world football best but the award was snatched away by Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.
The 28-year-old Dutchman joined Liverpool in January 2018 for £75 million, a then world-record fee for a defender. Though critics wondered why Liverpool should spend such an amount on a defender playing in a less influencer club like Southampton, he became an instant success at the club.
Van Dijk Made the Right Decision
To announce his name louder in the world of football, he led Liverpool defence to a UEFA Champions League final in 2018 but lost it to Real Madrid. That didn’t deter the giant defender as he helped the club to its first Champions League trophy in 14 years.
In the outgoing season which has been halted by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Van Dijk has been able to help Liverpool to remain at the top of the Premier League with 25 points. He, however, failed to help the club to remain in the 2019-2020 UEFA Champions League as they crashed out to Atlantico Madrid in the round of 16.
“Before I made the decision to choose Liverpool, I looked at all the aspects of the clubs; the way of playing, the team-mates, the future as well,” Van Dijk told BT Sport. “The city, the fans everything has got to be a big part of joining a club.
“I think Liverpool at that time when I made the decision was the right decision and obviously to reach the Champions League final in my first six months was obviously a big bonus and helped me a lot in my development.”
Indeed, the Liverpool star would be thanking his stars for making such a decision that has paid off within such a short time. Nothing is as sweet as playing week in and week out for a club as huge as Liverpool and win laurels along the way. No wonder he has gathered 113 appearances in all competitions within two years at the club.
As he is doing well for Liverpool, so is he doing so well for the Netherlands. Van Dijk has helped his country to win a silver model in the 2019 UEFA Nations League. The country lost the tournament to Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal national team.
