Virgil van Dijk reveals retirement plans as Liverpool captain is quizzed on manager & pundit roles

Van Dijk took a scenic route to the top of the world game, passing through Groningen, Celtic and Southampton before ending up at Anfield in January 2018 for a £75 million ($102m) transfer fee. He has won domestic and Champions League crowns with Liverpool.

The Reds have endured a slight wobble this season, after spending heavily in the summer of 2025, and have attracted criticism as a result. Van Dijk found himself embroiled in a verbal back and forth with Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney at one stage.

Speaking to another Red Devils great, Gary Neville, Van Dijk has told Sky Sports of the need for former players to be more considerate when offering their opinion on stars of today: “For me personally, I can deal with it, but I'm a bit worried for the next generation. I feel like the ex-top players have a responsibility to the new generation.

“Criticism is absolutely normal and part of the game, and I think it should stay that way. But sometimes criticism also goes into being clickbait, saying things to provoke things, and without thinking about the repercussions for a mental side of players, and especially the younger generation, who are constantly on social media. You can say, 'yeah, you shouldn't be on social media' - that's what I've mentioned [to them] loads of times.

“There is always this thing of when you play a good game, younger players check all the positive praises, but when you have a worse game, and you're getting bullied all over social media or you're getting bad criticism, it can really affect you. I've seen that in certain players in the past, and currently as well, because it's just not easy.

“It's going to get worse and worse because the platforms nowadays, with the clickbait and the headlines, everyone is on it constantly. I feel like especially the ex-pros, top players who have been through everything as well, they have this responsibility of protecting a little bit of that side as well. That's something maybe to look at.”

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With that in mind, Van Dijk said when asked if he could move into punditry - or whether a stint in the dugout might appeal: “I'd never say never, because I feel like I have that platform of saying or doing the right thing, but I don't see myself being a pundit.

“I don't think I see myself being a coach. I feel like you're stepping from one world in terms of being under pressure constantly - not that I don't like it because it's part of what I wanted to be - to then quitting for a little bit and then go back in it, and then also have no control really of what's going to happen on the pitch.

“I really like inspiring the next generation. I'm at the academy quite a lot because I feel like those are the guys that are eventually going to keep Liverpool up there. I have my own youth tournament and I want to make sure it's the biggest U13s tournament in the world, so something with that. I know what it brings to those youngsters, and I really like that. But let's see, there's plenty of time.”

For now, Van Dijk is focused on helping Liverpool to end the 2025-26 campaign as positively as possible - as they remain in the hunt for Champions League and FA Cup glory alongside a push for top-four finishes in the Premier League.

Asked if the Reds need to have elite European competition on their schedule for next season, Anfield skipper Van Dijk said: “100 per cent, because I want to play Champions League football and everyone else wants to as well. But going into my last season [of his current contract], I need to play Champions League football, so we're working very hard to make sure that we do that.

“I still feel this season could still be special, even after all the difficulties we had over the summer, during the first part of the season and with injuries. We're in the Champions League, we're in the FA Cup still, so we'll see what happens. But we need consistency, we need to work, we need to enjoy it as well, because we are very privileged to be able to go out there every time, represent the club and play good football.”

Liverpool will face another stern test of their credentials on Sunday when playing host to Manchester City - with that contest set to see Van Dijk lock horns again with prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland. Arne Slot’s side enter the latest round of top-flight fixtures sat sixth in the Premier League table.