Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has laid out his ambitions to become better than his team-mate Virgil van Dijk.
The centre-back is currently away with the France national team and could face off against the Dutchman when his side play the Netherlands in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday night.
Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 and has since played 61 times for the Reds, though he has started just twice in this campaign - with Van Dijk and Joel Matip looking like Jurgen Klopp's starting centre-backs.
However, the 24-year-old insists he is 'learning a lot' from the Dutch defender and that his long-term goal is to surpass him.
'Very few defenders have managed to do what Van Dijk has done,' he said ahead of the game, as per RMC Sport.
'He is a great defender, from whom I am learning a lot. Now, my objective, and he knows it, is to become better than him.'
He added that former Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos was originally his 'No 1 model' who he 'followed a lot' as he now bids to carve out his own path.
This season Konate has played 220 minutes for Liverpool, with two starts in the league coming in a 3-1 win against Leicester and in a 3-1 win against Bournemouth.
His other three appearances in the top flight this season have come from the bench - though he has enjoyed two starts in the Europa League and one in the League Cup - showing that Klopp is keen to give him game time in cup competitions.
Van Dijk, meanwhile, has started six times in the Premier League and once in the Europa League.
The Dutch star, who has won nearly every trophy available to him at Anfield - including the title the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the Champions League - was suspended for two games after being sent off against Newcastle.
TheHarryStyles
1
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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well, just because he had couple of slipups doesn't mean he is bad. You might as well have slipped somewhere in the past does that make you a bad person??
ItzGidiBankz
0
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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Deluded team the only thing you guys know is FA cup you have nothing to compare to who has won it all
Unitedme
0
Liverpool players are being treated like teens.
akain
0
Which two years? How long he spent on Liverpool when Aston Villa thrashed them by seven goals?
can you use your google before coming out here. 1. to help your search, just type van dijk dribbling record to goggle 2. to answer your question, Van dijk joined Liverpool in January 2018. the Villa Match was in Oct 2020. That is way more than two years bro
malablata
0
1 or 2 Dribbles doesn't mean he is not good. This is a defender who went two years without being dribbled past yet he played against the world's best attackers including Messi and Ronaldo. How many defenders achieved that feat? Is there any player who is not susceptible to dribbles? if it will take an average player to achieve that record, that means very few defenders are world-class. This means that all Arsenal defenders are average
Which two years? How long he spent on Liverpool when Aston Villa thrashed them by seven goals?
akain
0
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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1 or 2 Dribbles doesn't mean he is not good. This is a defender who went two years without being dribbled past yet he played against the world's best attackers including Messi and Ronaldo. How many defenders achieved that feat? Is there any player who is not susceptible to dribbles? if it will take an average player to achieve that record, that means very few defenders are world-class. This means that all Arsenal defenders are average
akain
1
I think people need to improve their sense of thinking. Van Dijk went two years without being dribbled past. He played against the world's best attackers during this period. I can't imagine you could think he is not good because of one or two dribbles. Who can't be Dribbled, does that mean you are not good, how about the achievement he had for 2 years. Mentioned defenders who went that far.
malablata
0
You don’t have defenders like VVD
Yeah, none of our defenders are sluggish, so you are right.
malablata
0
Which Arsenal defender is better than VVD?
😂😂😂😂. How is this a question? Maybe you meant which Arsenal defender had achieved more than VVD? Go and form peace with your question, comeback and ask again, I will answer you.
Sasbeikmns
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Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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Which Arsenal defender is better than VVD?
saubirtuyz
0
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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You don’t have defenders like VVD
malablata
0
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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What is asernal?????? Illiterate trying to insult😂😂😂😂
Badhur
0
We hope so dude we hope so
Cabeiopry
2
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
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Receive sense! Because you lack one In the history of asernal there’s no defender like might VVD
malablata
2
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk🤔........ Anyway, they are all average over there..... Next post please.
malablata
0
Konate must be deluded not to know that he is already better than Van Dijk.... 🤔. Anyway, they are all average over there.
skychilee
0
A good partnership and a big bro than can lead you to improve and become one of the best CB in the world.
SAMSUPER
2
He is already a better Def than Van Dijk 😎😎
vekmpsuy
1
Yesss! i can see him topple VVD.. VVD is getting slower and sluggish this dayss
Tony_A
1
A bold statement! Time will prove
Lihcenopr
3
I can't see that mate
hoolahoop
0
i dont love it seen konate on bench
oooh i thought totally fine by now
SIRYOUNGPROV
0
u smoked weed
More than weed bro
IronBorn
0
Let him stay fit first
Nuhadikmrt
0
philippe
Bavarian1996
0
VVD belike... you wanna confuse your self already...? which one is you wanna be better than me but you're learning from me
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He wants to be better than VVD and to make that happen, he’s learning alot from VVD. It’s like Aristotle surpassing Plato
ceuabcpuy
0
i dont love it seen konate on bench
That’s bcos he’s a injury player
hoolahoop
3
i dont love it seen konate on bench
Gilito29
0
Real Madrid should buy this guy
chukwudera353
5
meanwhile onana learning from Giroud 😂
Pubabeipry
0
Is VVD a better defender
Used to be not anymore
Vector007
6
lord Maguire after seeing this article 😂
pesaclmrt
0
Is VVD a better defender
wiwaeilmuy
0
His already better than Virgil, there’s a big difference in the defense seeing konate along side matip
Fubcdnptu
1
Vvd best defender
nimbciny
0
You are already better than him bro
u smoked weed
pascal88
2
Konate and endo at center back it will be 🔥🔥 van Dijk need to be rested for the whole season
LIVERPOOLIAN_INTER
4
Bro is already if not level with Van Dijk he just needs to remain fit. I’m pretty sure most Liverpool fans can vouch and say that it’s not he’s performances because that area is already good and since he has age his side then it it will be even better. He’s just getting to injury prone now. Thank God we have Quanaah. We want that to be the two CB partnership but if Ibou is gonna keep on becoming a consistent member of the hospital bed, January or next season is the time to get a LEFT FOOTED CB. Missed out on Van de Ven. Let’s not miss it out on anyone else that pops up in the coming months
tisbdksy
0
Great mentality 🙏🏻
mishaelmaik
3
VVD belike... you wanna confuse your self already...? which one is you wanna be better than me but you're learning from me
hahelnprt
0
first win uefa champions league 🏆
viaacdmnrs
2
You are already better than him bro
Pekbeklpr
0
For sure