Virgil van Dijk (born 8 July 1991) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for and captains both Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. He is renowned for his strength, aerial dominance, and calmness under pressure. His £75 million transfer to Liverpool in 2018 transformed the club's defense, leading them to back-to-back Champions League and Premier League titles. In 2019, he finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting, losing narrowly to Lionel Messi—the highest finish for a defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. After recovering from a career-threatening ACL injury in 2020, he returned to elite levels, captaining Liverpool to the League Cup in 2024 (scoring the winner in the final). By 2026, Van Dijk was managing his game time but remained the undisputed leader of Liverpool's post-Klopp era under Arne Slot. He is widely credited with redefining the modern centre-back role.