Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch footballer who plays as a centre-back and captains both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. He was born on 8 July 1991 in Breda. He joined Liverpool in January 2018 for a reported £75 million, a world-record fee for a defender at the time. He has won the Premier League twice and the Champions League once with the club. In October 2026 he played his 100th game for the Netherlands.
Van Dijk is known for his reading of the game, his pace for a tall defender and his strength in the air. He also scores goals from set pieces.
Early Life
Virgil van Dijk was born on 8 July 1991 in Breda, North Brabant, in the Netherlands. His father, Ron, is Dutch and his mother, Hellen, is of Surinamese descent. His father left the family when Virgil was 11. As a boy he played for WDS'19 and then joined the Willem II youth academy, where he combined football with a part-time job as a dishwasher. He left Willem II in 2010 without a professional contract.
He joined Groningen in 2010 on a free transfer and played as a right-back at first before settling in central defence.
Personal Life
Van Dijk met Rike Nooitgedagt in 2011 and married her in the summer of 2017. They have four children. The first was born in 2014.
Professional Life
Van Dijk started his senior career at Groningen, where he played from 2011 to 2013 and scored 7 goals in 66 games. On 21 June 2013 he signed for Scottish club Celtic for about £2.6 million. He won the Scottish Premiership in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the Scottish League Cup in 2014-15.
He signed for Southampton on 1 September 2015 for a reported £13 million and became club captain in January 2017. Southampton complained to the Premier League in 2017 after reports that Liverpool had approached him improperly, and Liverpool apologised and ended their interest. Liverpool signed him on 1 January 2018 for a reported £75 million.
Ronald Koeman made him captain of the Netherlands on 22 March 2018. Liverpool made him club captain on 31 July 2023, after Jordan Henderson left. In his first season as captain he won the EFL Cup in 2024, scoring the only goal of the final against Chelsea with an extra-time header.
| Club | Season |
| Groningen | 2010-13 |
| Celtic | 2013-15 |
| Southampton | 2015-18 |
| Liverpool | 2018 to present |
Liverpool 2024-25 and 2025-26
Van Dijk won his second Premier League title with Liverpool in 2024-25. The title was confirmed on 27 April 2025 and he lifted the trophy on 25 May 2025. Liverpool also reached the EFL Cup final that season but lost. On 17 April 2025 he signed a two-year contract extension.
In 2025-26 he scored the winning header against Atletico Madrid in a 3-2 win in the Champions League on 17 September 2025. He made his 250th Premier League appearance on 13 December 2025.
Netherlands
Van Dijk made his Netherlands debut on 10 October 2015 in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Kazakhstan. He captained the Dutch side to the Nations League final in 2019 and to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to Argentina on penalties. At Euro 2024 the Netherlands reached the semi-finals and lost to England.
He was named in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup. The Dutch lost to Morocco on penalties in the round of 32 on 29 June 2026 after a 1-1 draw. On 4 October 2026 he earned his 100th cap, as captain, in a 2-1 Nations League win over Serbia in Eindhoven. He became the 11th Dutch men's player to reach 100 caps.
Honors
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2013-14, 2014-15
- Scottish League Cup: 2014-15
Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019-20, 2024-25
- UEFA Champions League: 2018-19; runner-up: 2017-18, 2021-22
- FA Cup: 2021-22
- EFL Cup: 2021-22, 2023-24
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Super Cup: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
Netherlands
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2018-19
Achievements
- PFA Scotland Team of the Year: 2013-14, 2014-15
- Celtic Players' Player of the Year: 2013-14
- Southampton Player of the Season: 2015-16
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017-18, 2018-19
- Premier League Player of the Season: 2018-19
- PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2018-19
- PFA Team of the Year: 2018-19 Premier League
- UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 2019
- Ballon d'Or runner-up: 2019, behind Lionel Messi
- The Best FIFA Men's Player runner-up: 2019
- UEFA Nations League Finals Team of the Tournament: 2019
Virgil van Dijk Personal Details
Name: Virgil van Dijk
Nationality: Dutch
Date of Birth: 8 July 1991
Place of Birth: Breda, Netherlands
Playing Position: Centre-back
Height: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Virgil van Dijk Net worth
No reliable net worth figure has been published for Van Dijk, so none is given here. He signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool on 17 April 2025.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Virgil van Dijk?
Virgil van Dijk was born on 8 July 1991.
Where is Virgil van Dijk from?
He was born in Breda, North Brabant, in the Netherlands.
How tall is Virgil van Dijk?
He is 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) tall.
Who is Virgil van Dijk's wife?
He is married to Rike Nooitgedagt. They married in the summer of 2017 and have four children.
How much did Liverpool pay for Virgil van Dijk?
Liverpool signed him from Southampton on 1 January 2018 for a reported 75 million pounds, a world-record fee for a defender at the time.
Is Virgil van Dijk the Liverpool captain?
Yes. Liverpool made him club captain on 31 July 2023, after Jordan Henderson left.
How many Premier League titles has Virgil van Dijk won?
He has won two, in 2019-20 and 2024-25.
How many caps does Virgil van Dijk have for the Netherlands?
He earned his 100th cap on 4 October 2026 in a 2-1 Nations League win over Serbia.
Is Virgil van Dijk's contract extended?
Yes. He signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool on 17 April 2025.
What is Virgil van Dijk's net worth?
No reliable net worth figure has been published. He signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April 2025.
