In a surprising twist, Virgil van Dijk has described the months after the ACL injury suffered in Jordan Pickford’s horror tackle as “one of the best times of his life.”
Van Dijk spent almost a year out after rupturing his ACL in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in 2020, following a shocking challenge which saw Pickford escape punishment.
For most players it would have been a low point but – almost five years on and now a two-time Premier League champion playing at the top of his game at 33 – the Dutchman looks back on the time fondly.
“It was one of the best times of my life,” he has told GQ.
“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.
“It’s just…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.”
It is a philosophical view that perhaps can only be gained with a recovery as successful as Van Dijk’s, with the centre-back not suffering any ill effects in the years since.
An ACL rupture and the subsequent complications can ruin careers, but the Liverpool captain was able to return to his world-class level without needing to adapt his game.
Still, there have been times when his mobility – or even his motivation – have been questioned, particularly during a quiet run of form during the 2022/23 campaign.
“Every mistake, in any game, people will refer to the injury,” he continued.
“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 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’s response also sheds a light into the lives of footballers away from the sport; theirs is a gruelling schedule which, given many are young parents, often deprives them of valuable time with their families while travelling.
That is why Van Dijk views that extended downtime as a positive, particularly as the fixture list has only increased in the years since his comeback in 2021.
There is a balance to be struck for players and it is not always afforded to them – so for Van Dijk, those weeks spent in Dubai with his family proved a silver lining.
