Liverpool captain Van Dijk gave an in-depth interview to Ben Tibbits, a reporter for the British men's fashion and culture magazine Man About Town. In the second part of this interview, Van Dijk looked back on his childhood, family background, youth academy experience, a life-threatening illness, and his career path from Celtic to Southampton to Liverpool. He also spoke about his record-breaking transfer fee when joining Liverpool and Klopp's significant influence on him.
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Today, Van Dijk's mark on the football world is undeniable.
But he hasn't always been a globally respected athlete. His path to football's pinnacle also differs from that of many other stars.
He was born in Breda, a Dutch city near the Belgian border.
His parents separated when he was very young. Since then, he has had no contact with his father.
This is why his jersey bears the name "Virgil" rather than his surname.
His mother, Hellen, is of Surinamese descent.
Van Dijk calls his mother an "amazing woman" and is proud of his Surinamese heritage.
He said that he grew up constantly influenced by Surinamese family values.
"I was brought up with Surinamese roots and values, which means hard work and being down-to-earth."
He also mentioned that he sometimes has a bit of a temper, but in a positive way.
He then added with a smile: "The only thing I didn't inherit is that I can't cook."
"But my mom can."
As the eldest son of a single mother, Van Dijk had to learn to be mature early on.
He has a brother two years younger than him and a sister 10 years younger.
Speaking of his brother, he said: "He's always looked up to me, and he still does."
While pursuing his football dreams, Van Dijk also had to bear the important responsibility of taking care of his family.
At the age of seven or eight, he joined the youth academy of his hometown team Willem II and spent his entire teenage years there.
"I would see the first-team players and think, how great it would be if I could play there one day."
"But I never really considered it a realistic goal."
"I just trained and played. I faced some difficulties back then, but around 15, I suddenly started growing rapidly, and my abilities really began to develop."
As Van Dijk matured, his direction as a player began to become clear.
Groningen, then established in the Eredivisie, extended an invitation to him.
This was the first time he left his family to live alone in a city several hours' drive from home.
This experience was very significant for his growth.
"I've just come step by step to where I am today."
"This experience makes me very proud and also shows others: don't look too far ahead."
"There's more than one path to truly great achievements."
At 20, Van Dijk faced one of the most severe tests of his life.
Due to an appendicitis that was not diagnosed in time, his condition continued to worsen, and he was eventually sent to the hospital, where he had to undergo emergency surgery to save his life.
This experience made him truly face the threat of death.
After the surgery, it took him months to recover, and his physical development and football career were affected as a result.
Recalling this past event, his tone was as if he was telling another reality, or a nightmare.
"It was really tough back then."
However, he did not dwell on the painful memories.
"But these experiences in life shape you."
"It particularly made me realize how important nutrition is. I think this experience 100% helped me."
Less than a few years after that potentially life-changing, or even career-ending, event, Van Dijk overcame the difficulties and joined Scottish giants Celtic.
He considered this transfer the most important, and at the same time, the most stressful, of his career.
Celtic is a big club with a global reputation and provided excellent preparation for everything that followed.
"That was a very excellent transfer, which prepared me for what was to come."
"But at that time, I wasn't thinking that far ahead at all."
"Suddenly, I was playing in the Champions League, in the same group as Ajax, Barcelona, and AC Milan."
"I also won two Scottish Premiership titles and the Scottish League Cup."
"These were things I had never experienced before, including the pressure and responsibility."
"So, all of this was ultimately preparing me to play in the Premier League."
Next, Van Dijk moved to the South Coast of England, joining Southampton.
The two and a half years he spent there were a period of major breakthroughs in his career.
He gradually grew from a promising young player into a defender poised to be among the world's best.
It wasn't long before Liverpool made their move, bringing him to Anfield.
He has been with the club ever since, considering this experience a "perfect part" of his life.
Speaking about what it means to play for Liverpool, Van Dijk said:
"You have to give it your all, you have to give everything you have."
"And you have to stay humble."
"What has always stayed with me throughout these years, and will always remain in my heart, is how friendly, open, and genuine the people here are."
"I am proud to be adopted as a local by Liverpool."
When he joined Liverpool in January 2018, Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in football history at the time.
External expectations and pressure followed.
However, the right people around him helped alleviate this burden.
"There was obviously a lot of talk about the transfer fee at the time."
"But I could feel very strongly the manager's trust in me."
Van Dijk does not like to define one person as the single most important in his career.
He said: "Because I don't like to put anyone above anyone else."
But Klopp is undoubtedly one of the figures who had the biggest impact on him.
Speaking of the German coach, Van Dijk said: "From the first time I met him, everything was incredible."
"He is a very direct person."
"My relationship with him has always been very good, from day one until the day he left the club."
"He means a lot to me, and I'm still in touch with him."
During Klopp's tenure, Van Dijk experienced one of Liverpool's most successful periods in recent years.
Together, they won the Premier League and the Champions League.
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