Liverpool and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world; the best centre half of his generation. It’s a status that reflects back on the various clubs he’s played at over the years on his way to reaching that point, and perhaps none more so than boyhood club Willem II.
In honour of that, then, it’s fitting this week that Willem II announced that they would rename the main stand at their youth stadium in honour of the superstar who got started as an eight-year-old in their academy
and regularly played at the ground as he grew up at the Tilburg-based Dutch club.
“It is a special gift from the club to Van Dijk,” the club said of the honour. “A sign of appreciation for the career of the former Willem II youth player. With this, his name is not only immortalised in the rich history of Willem II, but also emphatically linked to the development of youth football in the city.”
Perhaps surprisingly, Van Dijk isn’t Liverpool’s first star centre half with Willem II connections, as Sami Hyypiä spent four seasons there before joining the Reds in 1999 and spending the next ten seasons at Anfield. More recently, Kostas Tsimikas also played for Willem before joining Liverpool.
Meanwhile, superstar summer signing Alexander Isak will become the fourth Liverpool player with Willem II roots, with the Swedish striker playing 18 games for them (and scoring 14 goals) on loan in the 2018-19 season before breaking through at La Liga’s Real Sociedad the following season.
“It makes me very proud,” Van Dijk said of the honour. “Willem II has played an important role in my life and in my development as a player. That this is now recognised in this way means a lot to me and my family. It is a very special tribute and I appreciate the connection I still feel with the club.”
