Injured since the early stages of the season, Virgil van Dijk has ruled himself out of making an appearance at the Euro 2020 competition this summer. Instead, he is opting to complete his final rehabilitation phase at Liverpool before finally making his highly-anticipated return next season.
On a personal front, Van Dijk will be frustrated to miss the chance to captain the Netherlands in the competition this summer. From a collective perspective, however, Liverpool will be incredibly relieved. The way things have been on the injury front this season, they simply couldn’t have the risk of the Dutchman suffering an injury setback.
It shows his commitment to Liverpool, too, no matter what position they lie. He understands that he can’t just jump straight into action and has made the correct decision as a result. We’ve all seen how damaged Liverpool have been without Virgil van Dijk this summer. Now, the Netherlands will be forced to go through that same pain.
Van Dijk Euro 2020 Decision Could Hand Liverpool Major Boost
Van Dijk Absence Damages Netherlands’ Euro 2020 Chances Significantly
Under Frank de Boar, in truth, the Netherlands have struggled to impress- losing 4-2 to Turkey and suffering another defeat against Mexico. And the defeat against Mexico was with Virgil van Dijk, so imagine them without him at the Euros.
Frank de Boar will be relieved to have an easy group- facing Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia. With or without van Dijk, that group always looked escapable. Should they escape the group, the real problem will come in the knockout phase. That is where the leaders make a stand, but without van Dijk, who is the leader in the Dutch side?
The squad itself is relatively young with the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Donyell Malen all included. In a relatively young squad, Georginio Wijnaldum is left to lead and, best believe, his leadership may come into question. The midfielder has experience in abundance and is undoubtedly one of the best Dutch players. But, does he have leadership qualities?
At Liverpool, when handed the captain’s armband, he has often flattered to deceive, so it will be interesting to see how he fairs when handed the same responsibility for the Netherlands.
How it Will Benefit Liverpool
As for Liverpool, relief will be the main feeling. They have the summer to oversee Virgil van Dijk’s reintegration into the Liverpool lineup. The Dutchman himself has an opportunity to work harder than ever to prove he is still one of, if not the best defender in the world.
This season, that statement has come into question due to Ruben Dias’ rise. Next season, both Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk will want to prove a point after the Euro 2020 tournament. Jurgen Klopp and co should be on their way back with a vengeance. Virgil van Dijk will be desperate to make up for lost time.
The Dutchman made the following statement regarding his decision to opt out of a Euro 2020 appearance: “I feel physically it is the right decision that I’m not going to the Euros and to start my last phase of rehab during the off-season. So, the full focus will be on pre-season with Liverpool and that’s a realistic goal.”
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