Nonstop efforts enable the Dutch midfielder to have a fantastic “transformation” like the one he is currently experiencing.

Virgil van Dijk, a Liverpool player, once scrubbed pots for 4 euros per hour at Breda’s Oncle Jean restaurant.The former Southampton player was born in Suriname to a Surinamese mother and a Dutch father.The restaurant owner, Jacques Lips, reportedly advised Van Dijk to abandon his aim of working in shorts and instead focus on dishwashing.

Oncle Jean restaurant, where Van Dijk used to make a living.

Van Dijk was a right-back with Willem II when he initially started playing football. However, over time, the Dutch star proved to be superior and demonstrated his unique talents when called upon to play in the heart of the defense.

Scene of Oncle Jean restaurant.

Van Djik’s physical development was exceptional at the age of 16. “My initial impression of Van Dijk? That is a young player with many flaws. Due to an injury, he was unable to practice for an extended period of time. As a result, the coaching staff used the first six months to help him get back into shape,” explained Dick Lukkien, coach of the Groningen reserve squad.

Van Dijk joined FC Groningen before making a real move with Celtic.

In the summer of 2013, Van Dijk moved to Scottish football giant Celtic.

The Dutch star was selected the best player in the Premier League 2018/2019 by the British Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) due to his consistent form and compelling performance.

In the summer of 2015, the Premier League welcomed a talented midfielder when Van Dijk signed with Southampton for a fee of 13 million pounds.

He joined Liverpool in January 2018 for a club record sum for a defender[9], and he promptly led the club to the UEFA Champions League final, where they were defeated by Real Madrid. Van Dijk was also named PFA Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Year for the 2018-19 campaign. Van Dijk joined Liverpool in the final of the UEFA Champions League season 2018-2019 and became champion; at the same time, Liverpool won the Premier League runner-up with the greatest score in the tournament’s history.

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Van Dijk made his Dutch debut in 2015 and was named captain in 2018. In 2019, he scored his first goal for the Netherlands in a 3-0 victory over European champions Portugal, and three months later, he and his squad advanced to the 2019 UEFA Nations League final, where they were defeated by Portugal. On December 2, 2019, he finished second in the race for the Golden Ball, narrowly losing out to Lionel Messi.