Virgil van Dijk says that being laid off for ten months with an ACL injury was ‘one of the best times of my life’.
The Liverpool captain, who won the PFA Player of the Year in 2019, was kept out of action after a challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in October 2020.
That injury contributed to derailing Liverpool’s hopes of retaining their Premier League crown and was a ‘tough’ time for van Dijk – but also came with an unexpected benefit.
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Virgil van Dijk opens up on how serious injury got in his head
Van Dijk admits that the injury still comes up more than he would like, with some suggesting he has not quite been the same player since returning in 2021.
But the Dutchman has been determined not to let it get to him, telling GQ: “Every mistake, in any game, people will refer to the injury.
“I know you can do nine things right and one thing wrong, and people will only focus on that one wrong thing. It can mess your head up and then you lose confidence – you feel scared to make mistakes.
“Confidence is like a flower. Jurgen [Klopp] taught me that. It is delicate. It can be easily crushed. So I know I have to communicate leadership just by someone looking at me.”
Van Dijk also found fulfilment away from the pitch during his ACL recovery as he got some rare time to spend with his family – hence the ‘one of the best times of my life’ comment.
He clarified: “Look, it was tough, mentally more than anything.
“You do have sleepless nights. You keep asking yourself, ‘How is this gonna pan out? Will I be the same player?’
“But physically, I think, because you’re an athlete, you can cope.”
“I had to do the majority of my rehab away from the club, in Dubai, so I was with my family, which was so nice.
“Seven weeks with them. I never get to do that.
“It was some of the best family time I’ve ever had. And, obviously, no one wants to get a serious knee injury, but that time we had was sort of worth it.”
