Van Dijk admits lockdown has made him think about retirement life

Virgil van Dijk has admitted coronavirus lockdown has made him realise what retirement from football might be like.

The Liverpool defender, 28, is currently at home training on his own as the Premier League has been suspended since March due to the ongoing pandemic.

Van Dijk told BT Sport: 'It's difficult to not be out there. To show our talents, to work hard. Even the small things in the game - playing for so many fans and winning.

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'The whole build-up to the game as well as seeing the boys, obviously we are spending so much time together and then we aren't for two months.

'The feeling you have now is something you have never had before.

'It makes you appreciate a little bit more. It's going to be strange. I don't want to think about retirement but it's definitely going to be a strange thing.

'It makes you think how difficult it is for players to make the decision to retire.

'Obviously you need to work hard and provide for your family but there is going to be a period of uncertainty when you have no idea what to do, like at the moment, as you have no idea what will happen.'

Van Dijk also revealed what made him join Liverpool in January 2018 and how he looked at their style of play.

'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 added.

'The city, the fans everything got to be 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.'

The Holland captain also described what he is like in the dressing room before and after matches.

'I'm not a guy that is quiet to be fair, I try to speak when I want to speak obviously when I feel like speaking.

'And I love winning, hate losing. So when we lose or when we concede and still win I am still grumpy in the beginning.

'There's just something in me, I want to be the best I can and help the team as well and get the perfect performance week in week out.

'If there's things I can do better or team-mates can do better I will definitely speak about.'

Van Dijk, who was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year for the 2018-19 season, was asked on how he could improve.

'Well just keep doing what I am doing. For a longer time, someone will always have their opinions on small things in a game, small mistake you might do.

'I need to keep maintaining the same level I have been doing for the last couple of years.

'There is always room for improvement, so I need to keep working on it with the help of my team-mates and manager, and international manager. That will help me get better.'