Fans reckon Virgil van Dijk’s post-goal ritual makes him a captain material

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk (VVD) has proven time and again this season that he’s got what it takes to be the best. Labelled the best central defender in the world currently, Van Dijk’s season has been nothing short of sensational.

Commanding the league’s tightest defense, conceding just 20 goals along with 16 clean sheets to his name, Virgil truly is a leader from the back.

A voice that doesn’t go unheard, a no-nonsense type of defender, a patient tackler, a player with grace and strength and an intelligent reader of the game.

These phrases are what come to mind when one thinks of the Dutchman. And while Liverpool’s deadly attack of Salah, Mané and Firmino score goals for fun; tearing teams apart, Virgil (whose name is now synonymous with shutouts),  pops up with the odd goal occasionally, sending Liverpool on their way to summit of the Premier League table.

With all the praise that’s being showered on VVD, it only comes as an added bonus to Van Dijk when one observant fan’s video montage has emerged online, showcasing exactly why the fans love him and why they believe he should be made Liverpool’s captain next season.

The video shows a certain ritual that van Dijk follows every time his fellow teammate scores a goal. He joins in on the team celebrations, but once they disperse, the towering Dutchman heads over to the goal scorer to congratulate them in person.

Van Dijk and the goal scorer share a moment or two, have a celebration between themselves and get back to the action. He is also seen whispering a few words to the man of the moment, and one can only imagine that they are very kind words, conveyed with joy, awe and possibly, relief. 

With VVD displaying qualities such as this and consistently shelling out world class defensive displays, it just goes to prove that he is a top, top professional and a class act.

Will Liverpool’s fan favorite don the captain’s armband full-time next season? Only time will tell, but he’s definitely making a solid case for the himself for club captaincy.