Premier League great Rio Ferdinand has joined the ranks of footballing legends to have showered praise on Virgil van Dijk. Ferdinand, a legendary Manchester United and England center-back himself, described the colossal Dutchman Van Dijk as the best defender in the world at the moment.
The former Red Devils icon’s praise for Liverpool FC’s anchorman comes following the Merseyside club’s Premier League glory. The 29-year old Van Dijk was a critical part of Jürgen Klopp’s side that ended a 30-year wait for the league title. The Reds’ defense, led by the Dutch international, recorded 15 clean sheets across the 2019-20 Premier League season.
Ferdinand has praised Van Dijk on numerous occasions in the past. However, this time, the former England captain also termed the 29-year old to be among the top five center-backs of all-time in the Premier League era. This is certainly high praise for the Liverpool FC man, who has been playing in England for just five years.
He’s undoubtedly a top player but I think he’s not fighting against the depth of other central defenders that was in my era.
‘If we were talking about top drawer center-halves, I could name five, six, seven, eight, nine in my era, whereas I don’t think I could fill my whole hand in this era.
Ever since his arrival at Anfield, Van Dijk has emerged into a world-class defender for the Reds. His presence in the Liverpool FC back-four has put an end to the defensive crisis the club had been a victim of in the past. The 29-year old’s showings for the Merseyside Reds has certainly justified the £75 million fee paid by the club to lure him from Southampton in 2018.
The 29-year old center-back has also gained the reputation of scoring crucial goals for his side. Van Dijk’s heading accuracy and imposing height make him a constant threat from corner kicks. He scored five goals this season in the Premier League, including a memorable brace against Brighton last December.
A host of current and former players have lauded Van Dijk’s influence on the Liverpool FC side. The Dutch international was also subject to huge praise from arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi. The FC Barcelona star noted how Van Dijk’s strength and agility made him a major threat for opposing forwards.
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