'He thinks he's better than the rest' - Van Dijk SLAMMED by legends Gullit and Van Basten

Tom Weber

• Updated: 28 Mar 2023 10:09 BST
• 4 min read

Dutch legends Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit have lambasted Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk after the defender's performances for the national team.

The Netherlands cruised to a 3-0 victory over Gibraltar on Monday, racking up 51 shots in the process. Yet with their 4-0 demolition at the hands of France still fresh in the minds, Dutch legends-turned-pundits Gullit and Van Basten singled out Virgil van Dijk for criticism.

"He makes noise, but he doesn't say anything," former Dutch national coach Van Basten told Ziggo Sport. "He is not clear. A good captain thinks aloud, makes it clear what is going on..."

Specifically using the France game as a reference point, the 58-year-old continued: "He creates chaos. This leads to misunderstandings. That's what you as a captain and leader should prevent. But he is two meters from his man."

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His colleague Gullit fully agreed: “He is good in the dressing room, but not tactically and technically...This has nothing to do with that injury, this has to do with leadership. He makes noise, but he says nothing. That's true..."

“It is walking backwards. In England they have already criticized him," Gullit went on before making this scathing remark: "He was selected for the world team of the year. He thinks he's better than the rest. We see things…”

Van Dijk needs to take more responsibility, says Gullit:“ Then I think: you are captain, you have to solve this. But he is only commenting a little on what is happening in front of him. I don't know if he's doing it, but it doesn't look like he's speaking."

"He plays so safe. Come on now, you're so big and good. There is no bad blood between us, it is a positive criticism that we give. Isn't he the best? Then show it!"

How did Van Dijk respond?

The Liverpool star's reaction wasn't long in coming: “Well, I don't need criticism from outsiders. I prefer criticism from people who are there. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion these days. Did I set the bar unrealistically high? How can you set the bar unrealistically high?"

"I think," the 31-year-old noted, "I've been very consistent, that's the right word. Football has peaks and hopefully not too deep valleys, but it is quite normal that you cannot always play very consistently, Van Basten and Gullit know that better than anyone."

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“You also have phases when you search for your constant level. I think people should not forget that it is normal that players sometimes make mistakes and that this is part of football," the defender pleaded in conversation with Ziggo Sport. "It is actually very human...We as players know better than anyone when you do or don't do something right."

"We are not robots," Van Dijk concluded, "maybe people sometimes forget that. That's just how it is. I know very well when sometimes more initiative has to be shown."