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 third part of the interview, Van Dijk spoke about the grief caused by the death of his friend Jota, how he, as captain, helped the team overcome the shadow of loss, and the initial motivation behind organizing the "Van Dijk Legacy Cup." Additionally, he shared insights into his clothing style, daily habits, and his expectations for competing for four trophies in the new season.
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However, all good things must come to an end.
After the 2023/24 season, Klopp left Liverpool, and Slot replaced him.
The outside world initially believed that Liverpool's performance might decline as a result.
However, the team's performance surprised everyone, and Van Dijk also won his second Premier League title.
Yet, right after this successful period, an unbearable tragedy struck.
In the summer of 2025, Van Dijk's close friend and teammate Jota unfortunately died in a car accident.
The two had played 130 matches together over five years.
This incident had a huge impact on the entire football community and brought deep sorrow to Van Dijk, who was Liverpool's captain.
His voice became quieter when he spoke about Jota.
"It's hard to accept, and it will always be hard to accept."
Even in such a dark moment, Van Dijk strove to overcome the shock and grief, leading his team and the city forward.
He wanted to be a source of support for his teammates and a unifying force for the team.
He spoke individually with the players to understand how each person was dealing with grief and what help he could offer.
"Our entire and sole focus, it was and always will be on Rute, their children, and all of Diogo's family."
"When we had to return to the club, you couldn't pretend that awful thing hadn't happened."
"We are a band of brothers."
"Obviously, as captain, I will try to take care of these things and be as involved as possible."
"You want to make sure his spirit and everything he left behind are never forgotten."
"Everyone deals with grief differently."
"When we communicate with each other, it's important to open up and learn to listen."
"Ultimately, we are all facing this together."
"This incident definitely brought us closer together."
"We built a magnificent statue for him outside Anfield."
"The club did many great things for his family, but I wasn't surprised by Liverpool's actions because I already believed they would do so."
Van Dijk's role in helping the club and city heal from the pain is just one of many examples of his care for others.
Another example is his recently promoted charity project, the "Van Dijk Legacy Cup."
This event is held annually and recently hosted its second edition.
The tournament invites youth players from major European clubs to compete at the Willem II stadium, where Van Dijk played as a child.
According to the official website of the event, this activity aims to "provide an elite professional stage for the next generation of football stars to help them grow, right where Van Dijk's football journey began."
The purpose of this activity is to prepare young players for the successes and setbacks of the professional football world.
Van Dijk said: "Three or four years from now, the children who participated in this tournament might already be playing for Barcelona."
"They can say that they once participated in a tournament organized by Van Dijk."
"For them, this could be a starting point, making them truly believe that they can achieve something."
"I am truly proud to be able to do this."
"At the same time, we also want them to experience what it takes to play at a high level."
"They will participate in post-match interviews and have access to recovery facilities and related processes, learning what players need to do to recover physically."
"These seem like small things, but they can help them prepare for the future. When they get older and start playing at a high level, these experiences can come in handy."
For Van Dijk, setting standards extends beyond what happens on the pitch.
Since his emergence, people have not only studied his playing style and elegant, calm defensive methods, but have also consistently paid attention to his fashion sense.
When talking about his clothing style, he described it in a very casual tone:
"Minimalist, elegant, expressing oneself in a good way."
He also appears to be someone who is very conscious about personal grooming and fragrance.
When talking about his daily grooming habits, Van Dijk joked:
"I think... first of all, shower often. That's a good start."
"Occasionally use some good body lotion and scrub products."
"Soft Services soap, which I've been using a lot lately, is really good."
"Honestly, I've been a bit obsessed with it recently, so I have one at the training ground and one at home."
"Then use some good perfume."
"You must always make sure you smell good."
"Of course, for me personally, I also have to take good care of my hair."
However, during the conversation, he did not sound like someone who often emphasized his status as a fashion icon.
When I brought this up, he seemed more inclined to simply laugh it off.
Whether praised for his appearance or recognized for his excellent defensive abilities, Van Dijk never overly glorifies himself or treats his status as overly special.
His family has always helped him stay grounded and look at things in life with the right perspective, including moments that don't go smoothly.
His head is not in the clouds.
His focus remains on the pitch, the locker room, and the community he lives in.
He is a role model for young men, polite and humble. Even in the eyes of his competitors, he has a very good reputation in the football world.
Now, Van Dijk is more eager than ever to continue playing and performing well.
He hopes to contribute to the team every week and lead the club and national team to more honors.
Speaking about his goals for the new season, Van Dijk said:
"We have four trophies to compete for, and I hope to succeed in all four competitions."
"I know it will be very difficult, but that is my goal."
"I will give my all and do my best to make this goal a reality."
One could use countless words of praise to describe Van Dijk.
But in this interview, what impressed the reporter most was his confidence.
This confidence seems to never fade, cannot be easily shaken, and is very complete.
It never appears arrogant, yet it is undeniably firm.
Before leaving, Van Dijk spoke about his understanding of the game, mistakes, and success.
"As a player, you have to accept the fact that not everything will go your way in those 90 minutes."
"But you still have time to make amends, and you still have time to react."
"After all these years, it's certainly easier for me to say these words now, but experience is indeed a very important thing."
"Going through difficult moments always makes you stronger."
"This may sound very cliché, but it's true."
"In a game, I might make a misplaced pass."
"But what do I do next?"
"Do I dwell on that pass for the entire game, or do I quickly refocus and make sure my next pass is good?"
"The only road to success is consistency."
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