Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has received fierce criticism from Dutch television pundits following the Netherlands’ dramatic World Cup opening match against Japan.
The Oranje fought out an intense draw on Sunday evening, a match that saw Van Dijk open the scoring with a towering header assisted by his Anfield teammate Ryan Gravenberch.
Despite the goal, former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart launched a savage on-air critique of the 34-year-old defender’s defensive positioning and leadership style, accusing him of playing with his mind already focused on his club future.
“With him, I thought: that doesn’t look good. Especially while turning,” he said. “It is proving very difficult. A bit like a Boeing 747 turning.”
It is believed that the Liverpool defender will announce his retirement from football at the end of this tournament.
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