It felt somewhat fitting that irrepressible captain Virgil van Dijk kickstarted the Netherlands‘ World Cup campaign with a bang.
He will not be around forever yet still, at the ripe old age of 34, the imperious central defender remains absolutely integral for both club and country.
Prior to the start of the tournament, no player inside Europe’s top-five leagues had played more minutes than Van Dijk’s 5,841 since June 2025. Staggeringly, he has missed just 279 minutes in total (90 for the Netherlands, 189 for Liverpool), figures that merely are not normal for a player who is undeniably now at the tail end of his illustrious career.
Presumably due to Bart Verbruggen’s recent hip problem, the Liverpool skipper even took goal kicks and had more touches than any other player on the pitch (114). Nobody topped his nine defensive contributions, either.
If Holland are finally poised to end their gruelling wait for World Cup glory – and that looks a huge stretch right now – preserving Van Dijk’s fitness remains imperative.
The Dutch possess the defensive depth – Manchester City’s Nathan Ake and Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato were among the substitutes – to rest their inspirational leader in small spells where required but there is just no getting away from the fact that virtually everything goes through him.
Ronald Koeman’s possession-based style is not quite ‘Total Football,’ but Van Dijk builds and orchestrates almost every play from the back, pointing and ordering his team-mates around the pitch as if it were a chessboard.
Naturally, he may have lost some of his acceleration and sprint speed but there’s a firm argument that he is more durable than ever having made a whopping 55 appearances for Liverpool last term.
View 3 ImagesVan Dijk scored the opening goal for the Netherlands against Japan(Image: Maja Hitij – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
At 34 years and 320 days, he also became the oldest player to play every minute of a Premier League campaign, surpassing a record previously set by John Terry. It’s the second time Van Dijk has played every minute of a top-flight campaign having also achieved the milestone back in 2019-20 when he guided the Reds to their first-ever Premier League title.
If the Netherlands are to go deep in the tournament, it could have damning implications for Andoni Iraola at Liverpool next season as the physical load could well prove taxing.
Van Dijk is playing match after top-level match at high intensity and eventually, something will have to give – a suitable deputy may well need to be signed, for starters.
It’s no secret that despite the Dallas Stadium’s impressive closed roof and industrial-grade HVAC system which keeps temperatures bearable, the conditions in North America are sweltering.
View 3 ImagesJapan struck late on to deny the Netherlands all three points
There is also an extra knockout game – the Round of 32 – to navigate if you want to go the distance and Van Dijk, like other elite stars, has only had a couple of weeks, if that, to rest and prepare for the World Cup.
It was 31 degrees in Arlington, Texas when he powered home the opener via a towering header which flew in off the post on 50 minutes.
It was impossible to ignore that Van Dijk was somehow the only player on the field wearing a base layer in a climate that basically resembled a greenhouse.
On 85 minutes, while Holland attempted to defend their one-goal lead, Van Dijk stooped to head away and clear the danger from inside his own six-yard box – only for Japan to equalise through Daichi Kamada moments later.
The goal was definitely coming and outside of Van Dijk, there appeared to be a nervousness and hesitation within the Oranje camp that Japan ruthlessly punished.
Unsurprisingly, Van Dijk was named the Player of the Match. He is simply a machine and a player we must truly appreciate before he retires because his contribution to the game has been nothing short of outstanding.
Under his leadership, Holland – and Liverpool – are in good hands but technically, tactically and mentally, they require improvements if they are to become a serious force at this World Cup. Van Dijk cannot do it all alone.
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