​There are dependable footballers, there are ever-presents — and then there is Virgil van Dijk. At a time when workload limits in modern professional football are being debated more fiercely than ever, the captain of the Dutch national team is posting numbers that seem almost otherworldly. According to Squawka, the Liverpool star is the only outfield player at this World Cup to have logged every minute for his country while also not missing a single second in the domestic league during the recently finished club season (limited to Europe’s top seven leagues).
Whether slogging through the Premier League in Liverpool colors or serving as the emotional and tactical anchor of the Oranje on football’s grandest stage, the 34-year-old simply does not take breaks. No muscle issues, no tactical substitutions, and no second-yellow risk could disrupt his rhythm.
While other superstars are carefully managed or rested as a tournament progresses, Van Dijk embodies consistency at centre-back. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.