The Dutch midfielder’s current remarkable “transformation” is the result of tireless labor.

Van Dijk’s career photos (The Sun) – FootballVirgil van Dijk, a midfielder for Liverpool, used to wash pots at Breda’s Oncle Jean restaurant for four euros an hour.

The former Southampton player’s father is Dutch, and his mother is Surinamese.

Van Dijk was previously advised by restaurant owner Jacques Lips to give up on his ambition to work in shorts and concentrate on dishwashing instead.

Van Dijk’s career photos (The Sun) – FootballOncle Jean restaurant, where Van Dijk used to make a living.

Van Dijk’s career photos (The Sun) – FootballWhen he first played football for Willem II club, Van Dijk often took on the right-back position. However, over the years, the Dutch star proved to be superior and showed his special qualities when he was pulled to play in the center of the defense.

Van Dijk’s career photos (The Sun) – FootballAt sixteen, Van Djik had undergone a tremendous physical development. “My initial impression of Van Dijk? That young player has a lot of flaws. His ailment kept him out of the gym for a while. As a result, the coaching staff spent the first six months assisting him in returning to peak form, according to Groningen reserve team coach Dick Lukkien.

The Premier League was greeted with a gifted midfield player in the summer of 2015 when Van Dijk joined Southampton for a reported 13 million pounds.

He signed for Liverpool in January 2018 for a record-breaking amount for a defender[9]. That season, he led the team to the UEFA Champions League final, where they fell to Real Madrid. Van Dijk also received votes for Premier League Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year for the 2018–19 campaign. In the UEFA Champions League season 2018–2019 final, Van Dijk rejoined Liverpool and emerged victorious; concurrently, Liverpool secured the Premier League runner-up position with the greatest score in the tournament’s history.

Virgil van Dijk: We’ll improve on what we have to do better – Liverpool FCVan Dijk joined the Dutch squad in 2015 and took on the role of captain in 2018. Three months later, he and his squad advanced to the 2019 UEFA Nations League final but were defeated by Portugal. In 2019, he scored his first goal for the Netherlands in a 3-0 victory over European champions Portugal. He lost to Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Ball on December 2, 2019, by a little margin of votes.