A biography for Virgil van Dijkhasn’t been written yet.
“All the players in the league, I think, want to play for trophies, want to get trophies.”
“I just want to be remembered as a fantastic player who gave everything for the team and enjoyed every bit of it.”
“We just need to keep improving. Keep doing what we are doing and get better. That's the only way forward.”
“I want to achieve great things.”
“I think Messi is the best player in the world.”
“We want to play on the highest level and the Champions League, other than the Premier League for us, is the highest level.”
“When you're 2-0 down after 30 minutes, then you know it's going to be tough.”
“As a defender I try to keep clean sheets.”
“You have to, you need to be hard with each other. When things aren't going right you need to tell each other, otherwise it's going to be too easy.”
“I think the mindset is always to think that you are never going to play pain-free.”
“Obviously, I'm honoured to be mentioned as a candidate to win the Ballon d'Or, but the only way I can influence it is to just focus on playing well.”
“I've known my best friend since I was 12 or 13.”
“I think as a central defender you grow as a player.”
“I looked death in the eye - and it was a terrible experience.”
“No one is going to look at the good things you do. Everybody is going to watch the bad things and that is how it is.”
“I was always playing on the streets with my friends until I was 15 or 16 and I wanted to do things with my skills that were exciting.”
“There's always pressure at a big club.”
“I know that life is much more than football. We have family and it's all about being happy and healthy.”
“I have a very similar connection with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool as I had earlier with Ronald Koeman at Southampton.”
“I want to enjoy the games because not a lot of people have the chance to do what we do. That's how we started football as well, enjoying what we are doing and that's what I try to do as well.”