Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk revealed how he motivated Ryan Gravenberch by showing him past celebrations of major trophy victories. Van Dijk revealed that he showed Gravenberch the grand celebration after the Reds won the Champions League title in 2018-19.
Van Dijk won every major trophy under the successful era of legendary former manager Jurgen Klopp despite the massive adversities. Liverpool have always operated under a restricted budget compared to other top clubs in Europe while Manchester City enjoyed dominance.
Nevertheless, Van Dijk’s arrival alongside Alisson Becker bolstered the previous Liverpool squad to clinch major trophies with determination and quality. Liverpool are once again challenging for every trophy while currently at the top of the Premier League under Arne Slot.

Nevertheless, the margin of error remains small with no room for complacency in the toughest major football league in Europe. Liverpool have a six-point gap with a game advantage over second-place Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at this moment.
The Reds drew 1-1 against the Tricky Trees on Tuesday in the Premier League away game despite dominating the match. Liverpool have started 2025 below their high standards with two draws, a win and a controversial loss in all competitions.
Liverpool needs to bounce back quickly and rectify their trajectory before any of their rivals take advantage of their situation. Gravenberch has played a pivotal role so far this season as a new number-six and remains a main driving force.
Speaking to the reporters before the Nottingham game (via Liverpoolfc.com), Van Dijk revealed how he motivated Gravenberch by showing him videos of past Liverpool celebrations of major trophy victories. He said:
“He [Gravenberch] already knows a little bit how much it would mean if you would win [the Premier League or Champions League]: the celebrations; and all the hard work you put in throughout the whole season would be all worth it. I’ve showed him videos of the celebrations that we had [in the past]. It would be an amazing achievement and obviously all your hard work would be more than worth it. When we won the Premier League we couldn’t properly celebrate it with our fans unfortunately, but when we won the Champions League we had an amazing party together with the fans, and that’s definitely something you try to do again.So that’s what we aim for.”
Gravenberch’s incredible performance against Nottingham Forest
Gravenberch has not just enjoyed a steep rise in reputation and individual improvement but also showcased incredible selfless drive. The 22-year-old’s style of play suits what Slot has implemented at the club and he understands exactly what is required.
The audience saw that selfless drive and ability to fulfil the requirement against Nottingham Forest when Gravenberch played as a make-shift centre back. Slot substituted Ibrahima Konate for Diogo Jota in a move that surprised everyone watching the game.
Gravenberch filled the make-shift role while moving into the defensive midfield position whenever Liverpool had the possession. The incredible cohesion between the Dutchman and his teammates allowed the team to terrorize Nottingham in the latter stages.
Liverpool almost secured a winner if they had better composure in front of goals with the chances they had. According to Fotmob, Gravenberch enjoyed 78% passing accuracy with 46 total passes, 58 touches and five passes into final third. The Dutchman usually enjoys better passing accuracy but the need to implement direct play against low-block defending caused many blocks.
However, defensively Gravenberch neutralised the formidable pacy attack of Nottingham that target man Chris Woods feeds by winning long balls. The 22-year-old made eight clearances, four headed clearances while completing eight defensive actions along with six recoveries.
Furthermore, the Dutch international won 100% of his ground and aerial duels to negate any counter-attacking threat from the hosts. While Gravenberch should remain vigilant and consistent, his teammates need to complement him with equally driven performances.
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Van Dijk’s leadership has played a pivotal role in helping these youngsters become strong men worthy to wear the red jersey. However, they need to avoid complacency for the rest of the season to reap the rewards of winning major trophies.