Virgil van Dijk received a named stand at his hometown club Willem II.

Recognition of Virgil van Dijk

According to The Sun: The club where Virgil van Dijk's career began has honored the player by naming a stand at the youth stadium after him.

Dutch club Willem II announced the renaming of the stand along with a video in which the 34-year-old player visits the stadium.

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Details of the stand renaming

The club's statement read:

“The Willem II youth academy today presented a special tribute: the main stand at Sportpark Prinsenhoeve is now named 'Virgil van Dijk Stand'.”

“This renaming is a special gift from the club to Van Dijk: a sign of gratitude for the impressive career of the former young player who has become one of the best defenders in the world.”

The team currently plays in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, after relegation from the top division last season.

Van Dijk joined the Willem II youth team in 1999, being only 8 years old. He progressed through various age categories of the club but did not play a single game for the senior team, not receiving a contract at the age of 19. After that, the player moved on a free transfer to FC Groningen, which marked the beginning of his professional career.

In 2013, Van Dijk signed a contract with Celtic, and two years later he moved to Southampton. In 2017, he joined Liverpool for a then-record fee of over £70 million.

Career achievements

After joining Liverpool, Van Dijk became the team captain and won several titles in the Premier League, as well as the Champions League. In 2019, he finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting, despite the fact that defenders often go unnoticed.

Van Dijk currently leads the national team of the Netherlands and aims to help Liverpool win a third title in the Premier League after a successful start to the season, where the team has collected nine points from three matches.

id='6378055911112' data-video-id='6378055911112' data-account='5067014667001' data-player='default' data-usage='cms:WordPress:6.5.6:2.8.6:javascript' data-embed='default' class='video-js' data-application-id='' controls style='width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;'> The recent recognition of Virgil van Dijk shows how important it is to remember one's alumni and those who have left a mark in the club's history. Renaming the stand in his honor opens a new chapter in the relationship between the club and its former players, emphasizing the significance of the youth academy in developing talented footballers.