Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reaffirms Netherlands commitment after hinting at international retirement in wake of Euro 2024 semi-final defeat to England

The Liverpool defender conceded after suffering a last-minute defeat to England in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 that he needed time in which to mull over his future at international and club level – with criticism having come his way during a tournament in which the Dutch struggled for consistency.

Van Dijk’s first outing for the Oranje since enduring continental heartache came in a Nations League clash with Bosnia, and he said after helping to earn a crushing 5-2 win: “I understood that it was unclear how I felt about it (his international future). I was of course very disappointed after the match, then you are full of emotion. It may have seemed at the time that it could have been my last international match. But I am a warrior and a fighter and I will never just give up for Oranje.

“Ultimately, you have to look at your own abilities and assess whether you are still important enough. I most certainly am. On the field and off it. I am the captain of Liverpool, a consistent factor and I feel excellent physically while I am improving on the ball too. I want to play another World Cup. I know I am still more than good enough.”

Those words are music to the ears of Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, who sought out talks with his skipper prior to the latest round of international fixtures. He has said: “I noticed how Virgil was feeling, so I thought it was very important to visit him. He indicated that he wants to give it another two years, towards the World Cup. I also have that feeling about him, even though, as he also indicated, he did not reach his level at the last European Championships.

“He remains captain. He has done that very well and we also discussed how he can manage that better in combination with his own game. It is very positive that he stands for the group like this, but you have to reach your own level first. That's the most important thing. He felt that he was too concerned with others. But it is not without reason that he was chosen for the best Premier League team (last season).”

Van Dijk has reached 75 appearances for his country, having made his debut back in 2015. He is now 33 years of age, but remains a commanding presence for the Netherlands and Liverpool – with another big call needing to be made on his domestic future after entering the final year of his contract at Anfield.