Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk delivered a commanding performance as the Netherlands secured a 4-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday. The Dutch national team secured a spot in the Nations League quarter-final with this emphatic victory over the Hungary side.
Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo capitalised on two first-half penalties, followed by second-half goals from Denzel Dumfries and Teon Koopmeiners. The Netherlands dominated the game in possession while reducing Hungary to only 12 shots compared to their 22 total shots.
Van Dijk has played a pivotal role for Liverpool this season alongside his usual centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate so far. The Reds’ impressive form this season includes 15 wins out of 17 matches across all competitions, conceding only 10 goals.
The Dutch captain is currently playing in the last season of his current Liverpool contract, earning £220,000 gross per week. The 33-year-old is an anomaly who breaks the Reds’ policy of not giving lucrative contracts to the ageing players.
Despite the narratives saying that Van Dijk was past his best before the 2023-24 season, he proved his naysayers wrong. The Dutch captain is playing at his peak level and has displayed no regression in his performances, proving he easily has a few more seasons at the top-most level.
In the match against Hungary, van Dijk had 131 touches and achieved a 95% passing accuracy, including one key pass. He also completed all his long balls with 100% accuracy, contributing to the Netherlands’ 72% domination in possession and control.
Defensively, the 33-year-old won two out of three ground duels and five out of six aerial duels to establish dominance. Additionally, he made two clearances and two tackles to negate the Hungary threats which included his Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Under head coach Arne Slot, Liverpool emphasizes controlling the game through possession and strategic play. The 33-year-old’s role as captain and centre-back is pivotal in implementing this approach and maintaining a winning consistency this season.
Van Dijk’s leadership and defensive skills will be essential as Liverpool prepares for challenging fixtures against Real Madrid and Manchester City after the November international break.
