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Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates the teams victory and confirmation of winning the Premier League title in the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Anfield on April 27, 2025 in Liverpool, England. | Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
The Liverpool captain has earned his first of the big two trophies as captain
Liverpool’s captain Virgil Van Dijk spoke to the press following his side’s monumental effort, which saw the Reds clinch the club’s 20th league title in April.
Van Dijk believes the squad’s consistency over the season is key to their success:
It has been an amazing Premier League season for us, very consistent, well-deserved winners. The reaction we showed after going 1-0 down today was outstanding. Obviously it was a very emotional game. The time goes very slow towards the end, by the way! But I’m glad we got the job done and now we – and I speak about obviously everyone who is Liverpool-connected – can enjoy and celebrate because that’s what you should do as well.
Though Van Dijk won the league in 2019/20, this is his first league win as captain — and the first with fans, who made a difference in the experience. The Dutchman agreed that the party atmosphere meant there was more joy this time around:
Yeah, I think so. In my opinion, the hardest league in the world. If you have an opportunity to win it, [on] what was a glorious day in terms of the atmosphere, the weather, a good opponent – it was incredible to be part of. The manager touched on it already on the pitch, that we have got two titles in five years, so that’s a big achievement in my opinion.
The centerback also thinks that their status as overachievers might be somewhat overstated, despite Jürgen Klopp’s departure announcement last January:
Well, around that time we were still challenging as well for the title. I had a lot of confidence in my team; we came short last year, that was pretty obvious. We were not good enough towards the end, we couldn’t find the consistency that we had been doing before that. But listen, to replace Jürgen is a big job and I think the manager did it in his own way together with his staff. He definitely deserves a lot of credit for that. I don’t think anyone – as has been said by so many from the outside world – would have thought we were going to be Premier League champions. But that’s football as well. We have to perform as players and that’s what we try to do. Try to be consistent, try to win games, find ways to win games – and that’s what we have done.
He looks forward to lifting the trophy as captain in May:
It will be amazing. Very emotional. Even today, it was an emotional day for me and my family. The whole week was quite slow, it took ages before matchday. I think every Liverpool fan around the world probably felt like that. And then obviously it’s matchday and then you see so many fans already in red outside, getting ready from early on. And you just want to get the job done. I’m very, very happy that we did and when the moment is there that I can lift the trophy in front of our beautiful supporters, I think I will be very emotional.
Van Dijk refused to note a single moment or match that made him believe in the squad’s capacity, instead highlighting the vagaries of title challenges more generally:
Not really [any single standout game]. Obviously I’ve been in title races and unfortunately I’ve lost a couple. I think the key only is to focus on yourself and that’s what we tried to do. We tried to win games ahead of us, look at ourselves. Obviously it’s quite difficult because there’s always so many noises around us, other teams doing this and that, and results going this way and that way. But you have to try to keep your eyes on your own team, your own performances. That’s the only way, in my opinion: consistency and to success. I’m glad we did because that’s still the most difficult thing in life, not only in football but in life: to be consistent. And if you have that consistency, just to keep it. I’m glad we did. Like I said, we have to be proud of ourselves and enjoy it all, soak it all in.
Instead, consistency is key:
Winning games after game after game, that’s the key. It’s a whole team process, everyone has played a part. Obviously guys don’t always start the game but they come on and have impact. And not only the players, the staff obviously plays a big part. But the people that are around us at the AXA Training Centre, the training ground. The fans. Everyone has to play a part. I think from day one when we started the season it was pretty obvious and pretty clear we have a big goal on our hands, big dreams and that we want to fulfil it. I’m glad we did. We got the big one. Amazing.
