As the Netherlands return to the World Cup after lacking out in 2018 they are going to be led by Virgil van Dijk, who has grown into one of many sport’s finest defenders. Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Netherlands got here inside a penalty shootout of reaching a fourth World Cup closing in 2014 when Louis van Gaal’s squad defied expectations to make the semi-finals. The straight-talking Van Gaal is again for a 3rd stint in control of the nationwide crew, courageously popping out of retirement whereas receiving remedy for aggressive prostate most cancers.

The 71-year-old underwent 25 bouts of radiotherapy, together with throughout coaching camps with the nationwide crew, and watched from a wheelchair following a motorbike accident because the Dutch certified for Qatar final November.

Van Gaal, christened the ‘Iron Tulip’ in his homeland for his authoritarian fashion, ignored a younger Van Dijk for the 2014 finals, however the Liverpool centre-back has since developed into the metal spine round which the crew is constructed.

Van Dijk additionally missed out on Euro 2020 final 12 months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.

So remarkably, via a mixture of circumstance and misfortune, solely now’s the 31-year-old set to seem at his first main worldwide match.

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“We have to believe in our qualities and ourselves and be confident,” Van Dijk stated.

“We have a fantastic manager, an experienced manager. We have players who play at the highest level, the biggest clubs in the world.”

Van Dijk’s emergence coincided with a transitional interval for the Dutch, who did not qualify for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.

The Oranje suffered a disappointing last-16 exit at Euro 2020 with out the injured Van Dijk, however they’re unbeaten in 15 video games because the reappointment of Van Gaal in August 2021.

“We have experience, we have talent, we have a good mixture. First and foremost we have team spirit – I think that’s the start to the key to success,” stated Van Dijk.

“It’s not guaranteed success of course but it’s a good way to start and we’re looking forward to the first game.”

Rise to the highest

Van Dijk turned the world’s costliest defender when Liverpool signed him for 75 million kilos from Southampton in January 2018.

Liverpool completed runners-up to Real Madrid within the Champions League a couple of months later, however the Reds obtained their fingers on European membership’s soccer largest prize the next season.

Van Dijk misplaced out on the 2019 Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi by a handful of votes however earned the popularity of his friends by profitable the English PFA Players’ participant of the 12 months prize.

He performed each minute through the Covid-interrupted 2019-20 marketing campaign as Liverpool ended a 30-year await the English title, just for damage to then strike him down.

Van Dijk selected to present himself time to completely heal as a substitute of dashing again for Euro 2020, however he has made up for misplaced time as evidenced by a latest report by world gamers’ union FIFPro.

It confirmed Van Dijk had performed probably the most minutes of these analysed — 7,597 in 78 video games — between July 12, 2021 and October 24 this 12 months.

The report highlighted the unprecedented calls for posed by a mid-season World Cup, however in Qatar Van Dijk a minimum of will lastly get his probability on the most important stage.

“It’s going to be a very big one against the African champions,” he stated of Monday’s Group A opener in opposition to a Senegal facet lacking star man Sadio Mane, a detailed buddy of Van Dijk’s.

“I’m very sad for him that he’s going to miss the tournament,” stated Van Dijk. “I’m definitely going to miss seeing him out there.

“(But) we’ll do all the pieces in our energy to get consequence and begin our World Cup in one of the best ways potential.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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