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Dutch journalist launches astonishing 'narcissist' rant over Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk

-Credit: (Image: 2024 DeFodi Images)
-Credit: (Image: 2024 DeFodi Images)


A Dutch columnist has suggested that Virgil van Dijk's comments after the Netherlands' win over Bosnia and Herzegovina were narcissistic, questioning why the Liverpool defender felt the need to anoint himself the team's 'great leader'.

Van Dijk and the Netherlands played their first international match since their Euro 2024 semi-final defeat by England on Saturday, as they recorded a 5-2 victory in the Nations League.

And speaking after the match, Van Dijk addressed the emotive comments he made after the loss to England in July, when he appeared to suggest he was considering his future at international level.

Van Dijk said: “At both teams (the Netherlands and Liverpool) I am still Virgil van Dijk, the big leader! And I certainly want to remain that for the next two years. I am human, I have emotions too. You start thinking all kinds of things. Especially just after a game like the elimination (by England) in the very last minute.

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“I also understand that it came across unclear on how I stood in all this, because after the match I was so disappointed and full of emotion. It perhaps came across as if it had been my last international match. I did have doubts that night and I did hint at that.

“It's very good that I went on holiday the next day, was able to spend time with my children, my family, which is the most important thing in my life. I was able to share it and then very quickly things calmed down.”

Van Dijk describing himself as 'the big leader' did not go down well with Valentijn Driessen, who wrote in his De Telegraaf column: “True leaders prefer to let others judge their leadership. People who call themselves the ‘great leader’ are often overblown narcissists with dubious reputations.

“Van Dijk cannot be classified under that heading. The fact that he spoke of himself as a ‘great leader’ seemed ridiculous and at the same time touching. It looked like chest-thumping, but rather stemmed from insecurity.

“No-one questions Van Dijk’s leadership at the national team. The fact that he felt it necessary to emphasise his leadership means that the hierarchy at the Dutch national team will not change substantially.”