Virgil van Dijk
 Van Dijk playing for Celtic in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Virgil van Dijk[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 8 July 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Breda, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Southampton | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2010 | Willem II | ||
| 2010–2011 | Groningen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2013 | Groningen | 62 | (7) |
| 2013–2015 | Celtic | 76 | (9) |
| 2015– | Southampton | 45 | (3) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2011 | Netherlands U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Netherlands U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2015– | Netherlands | 12 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 November 2016. | |||
Virgil van Dijk (born 8 July 1991) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Southampton and the Netherlands national football team.
After beginning his career with Groningen, he moved to Celtic in 2013, where he won the Scottish Premiership and was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year in both of his seasons, also winning the Scottish League Cup in the latter. In September 2015, he joined Southampton.
Van Dijk made his international debut for the Netherlands in 2015.
Club career
Groningen
Van Dijk was born in Breda to a Dutch father and Surinamese mother.[2] He started his career with Willem II before transferring to Groningen in 2010 on a free transfer after just one season. He made his professional debut for Groningen coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Petter Andersson during the 4–2 victory against ADO Den Haag on 1 April 2011. During the 2011–12 season, Van Dijk made 23 league appearances for the Eredivisie side, scoring his first professional goal during the 6–0 defeat of Feyenoord on 30 October 2011. He scored his second professional goal for Groningen on 22 January 2012 against Heracles Almelo in a 2–1 victory before scoring again the following week during a 4–1 defeat to FC Twente. Van Dijk scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season on 7 October 2012 during a 2–2 draw with Feyenoord. Van Dijk yet again scored against Feyenoord in the return fixture on 23 December 2012 during a 2–1 defeat.
Celtic
2013–14 season
On 21 June 2013, Van Dijk signed with Celtic for a fee of around £2.6 million, on a four-year deal including a 10% selling-on fee for Groningen.[3] He made his debut on 17 August, replacing Efe Ambrose for the final 13 minutes of a 2–0 Scottish Premiership win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.[4] A week later, he made his first start, in a 2–2 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Celtic Park.[5] On 9 November, Van Dijk scored his first Celtic goals, heading one in each half of a 4–1 win against Ross County.[6] After a solo run, he scored within five minutes the only goal of a victory over St Johnstone on 26 December.[7]
Van Dijk scored again on 26 January 2015, in a 4–0 win versus Hibernian for Celtic's 11th consecutive league win.[8] On 25 February, he was sent off after 13 minutes of an eventual 2–1 loss at Aberdeen, for a professional foul on Peter Pawlett; it was Celtic's first defeat of the season.[9] With Celtic having already won the league, Van Dijk netted again on 7 May to put his team 3–1 up away to St Johnstone, in an eventual 3–3 draw.[10] He was one of three Celtic players named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.[11]
2014–15 season
On 22 July 2014, Van Dijk and Teemu Pukki each scored twice in a 4–0 home win over KR Reykjavík in a UEFA Champions League qualifier, putting their team into the next round 5–0 on aggregate.[12] His first goal of the Premiership season came on 9 November, finishing from Stefan Johansen's last-minute corner for a 2–1 win at Aberdeen.[13] Three weeks later, Van Dijk scored the first and last goals of Celtic's 4–0 win versus Heart of Midlothian in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.[14] Four days after that, his sixth goal of the season was enough for victory in a home match against Glasgow neighbours Partick Thistle.[15]
Van Dijk was again on target on 21 January 2015, opening a 4–0 home win over Motherwell.[16] On 26 February, he was sent off in the 36th minute against Inter Milan for a foul on Mauro Icardi, as Celtic lost 1–0 on the night, 4–3 on aggregate in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League.[17] He was again sent off on 8 March in the Cup quarter-finals away to Dundee United at Tannadice, receiving a red card after eleven minutes for a confrontation with Calum Butcher.[18] His suspension for the following week's Scottish League Cup Final was overturned on appeal, as was that of Paul Paton, who was sent off when mistaken for Butcher.[19] Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes of the final at Hampden Park, which Celtic won 2–0.[20] On 18 March, Celtic's third consecutive match against Dundee United, Van Dijk scored in the last minute to confirm a 4–0 win in a Cup replay.[21]
On 19 April, Celtic contested the Cup semi-final against Inverness at Hampden, and Van Dijk opened the scoring with a free kick. After the dismissal of goalkeeper Craig Gordon, Celtic fell 3–2, ending their chance of a treble.[22] Three days later, again from a free kick, he confirmed a 2–1 win away to Dundee.[23] His team again won the league, and Van Dijk was included in the league's Team of the Season for the second consecutive campaign.[24]
Van Dijk was reportedly "considering his future" in Glasgow after Celtic were knocked out of the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League in the qualifying rounds to Malmö of Sweden.[25]
Southampton
On 1 September 2015, Van Dijk signed a five-year contract with English side Southampton for a reported £13 million transfer fee.[26][27] He made his debut for the Saints on 12 September in a 0–0 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. Two weeks later, Van Dijk marked his third Premier League appearance with his first goal for the club, which came in the form of a header in the 11th minute to put Saints in front, following a set-piece from James Ward-Prowse in a 3–1 home win over Swansea City.[28]
On 7 May 2016, Van Dijk signed a new six-year contract with the Saints.[29]
International career
Van Dijk made his full international debut for Netherlands on 10 October 2015, in a 2–1 victory away from home against Kazakhstan in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier.[30]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 20 November 2016
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Groningen | 2010–11[31] | Eredivisie | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 |
| 2011–12[31] | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 3 | ||
| 2012–13[31] | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 62 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 7 | ||
| Celtic | 2013–14[32] | Scottish Premiership | 36 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 47 | 5 |
| 2014–15[33] | 35 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 58 | 10 | ||
| 2015–16[34] | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 76 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 115 | 15 | ||
| Southampton | 2015–16[34] | Premier League | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 3 |
| 2016–17[35] | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 45 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 4 | ||
| Career Total | 183 | 19 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 31 | 3 | 234 | 26 | ||
Honours
Club
- Celtic
Individual
- Southampton Player of the Season: 2015–16[36]
References
- ↑ "Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ↑ "News". Celtic FC. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
- ↑ "Virgil van Dijk: Dutch defender joins Celtic". BBC Sport. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Murray, Keir (17 August 2013). "Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "Celtic 2-2 Inverness CT". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Conaghan, Martin (9 November 2013). "Ross County 1-4 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Campbell, Andy (26 December 2013). "St Johnstone 0-1 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Murray, Keir (26 January 2014). "Hibernian 0-4 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Southwick, Andrew (25 February 2014). "Aberdeen 2-1 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Burns, Cheri (7 May 2014). "St Johnstone 3-3 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "PFA Scotland announces their selection for 2013/14 Team of the Year". STV. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Burrows, Ben (22 July 2014). "Celtic 4-0 KR Reykjavik: Hoops ease into next Champions League round in comfortable fashion". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Moffat, Colin (9 November 2014). "Aberdeen 1-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Southwick, Andrew (30 November 2014). "Hearts 0–4 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- ↑ Wilson, Richard (4 December 2014). "Celtic 1-0 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Moffat, Colin (21 January 2015). "Celtic 4-0 Motherwell". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "Inter 1 Celtic 0 (4-3 agg): Late strike finishes off battling ten-man Celtic and ends their Europa League run". Daily Record. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Murray, Keir (8 March 2015). "Dundee Utd 1-1 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ "Van Dijk and Paton cleared to play in League Cup final". BBC Sport. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ Wilson, Richard (15 March 2015). "Dundee Utd 0-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Celtic 4-0 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ Lindsay, Clive (19 April 2015). "Inverness CT 3-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ Southwick, Andrew (22 April 2015). "Celtic 1-2 Dundee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ Kyle, Gregor (1 May 2015). "The SPFL dream team: PFA Scotland announce their teams of the year". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ↑ "Virgil van Dijk: Celtic defender considers future after defeat". BBC Sport. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ↑ "Saints complete deadline-day deal for van Dijk". Southampton FC. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ↑ "Virgil van Dijk: Southampton sign Celtic defender for £13m". BBC Sport. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ↑ "Virgil van Dijk scored his first goal for Southampton who eased to a comfortable victory over Swansea.". BBC Sport. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ↑ "Virgil van Dijk: Dutch defender signs new six-year deal at Southampton". BBC Sport. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ "Successful Saturday for Saints stars". Southampton FC. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- 1 2 3 "V. VAN DIJK". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ↑ "Games played by Virgil van Dijk in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ↑ "Games played by Virgil van Dijk in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- 1 2 "Games played by Virgil van Dijk in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ↑ "Games played by Virgil van Dijk in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- ↑ "Van Dijk the big winner at Saints' Player Awards". Southampton FC. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.