It’s been quite a year for Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool in 2025. The Reds captain recently looked back on a pretty wild mix of emotions. You had the incredible highs, like winning the Premier League title in April. But then came the devastating lows, especially the tragic loss of teammate Diogo Jota. Van Dijk’s reflections show a club dealing with triumph, grief, and a real fight for consistency on the pitch.
A Season of Highs and Heartbreak
Winning the Premier League title in April 2025 was a massive moment. Van Dijk called it “incredible” and a memory he’ll “never forget.” He said lifting that trophy at Anfield was a deserved reward. That’s what you play for, right? But then, just a few months later, everything changed.
The football world was shocked in July when Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a car accident. Van Dijk admitted it was something “none of us could ever have prepared for.” And the team is still trying to come to terms with it.
The club made a pretty poignant decision. They retired Jota’s No. 20 shirt as a mark of respect. And, ahead of their last fixture of 2025 against Wolves, Jota’s wife, Rute, and their two sons, Dinis and Duarte, were at Anfield as mascots. It was a really emotional day, everyone could feel it. Van Dijk wrote in his pre-match notes that Jota and Andre Silva “will never, ever be forgotten,” and that the team would “carry their memory always,” according to Liverpool Echo.
Battling for Consistency on the Pitch
Football-wise, this season has been pretty mixed. Van Dijk said it’s been “extremely challenging.” Liverpool hasn’t really shown their “very best, in terms of consistency.” You can tell he feels those tough moments as much as anyone, being the captain and all.
Take that 3-0 loss to Manchester City, for example. Van Dijk had a goal ruled out by VAR. He didn’t want to talk much about the VAR decision, saying you just “have to deal with it.” But he did admit losing 3-0 was a “big blow,” as reported by Liverpool FC. He felt the first half was tough, City was just more comfortable. And their pressing wasn’t good enough. “It’s finding consistency and keep going,” he said.
Then there was the really “very bad” atmosphere after a 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest. That was a rough one. It was their second consecutive three-goal defeat. Van Dijk said the team was conceding “too many easy goals.” He saw nervousness after they conceded, everyone trying to rush things. “Overall we were just not good,” he stated, as per Sky Sports. He told Sky Sports that the atmosphere, in his eyes, was “very bad” and they needed to “look in the mirror.” Manager Arne Slot took responsibility for the barren run, too.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Van Dijk also talked about an “amazing” 1-0 win away to Burnley. That game showed off Liverpool’s “mental edge.” Mohamed Salah scored a stoppage-time penalty to secure the win. It was another late goal for Arne Slot’s team. Van Dijk said Burnley defended well, but Liverpool “kept pushing, didn’t lose belief and in the end got the reward.” He believes these late goals show a mentality needed at the very top, according to Yahoo Sports.
Leadership, New Faces, and a Decade in the League
As captain, Van Dijk is clearly a leader. He’s also seen some new faces join the squad. He spoke positively about Alexander Isak, who just joined to strengthen their attack. Van Dijk thinks Isak’s a “fantastic player” and will be important for goals and link-up play. And Hugo Ekitike, he mentioned, has been good too. Squad depth is pretty crucial for a long season.
Away from the main team, Van Dijk had another reason to smile. Liverpool’s U13s won the Virgil’s Legacy Trophy in his native Netherlands. He helped establish that youth tournament. He was “buzzing to see it go so well,” he said.
This year also marked Van Dijk’s 10th year in the Premier League. He started at Southampton before joining Liverpool in 2018. He’s won a lot since then, including the Champions League in 2019 and two Premier League titles (2020, 2025). Being the first Dutch captain to lift the Premier League, that’s pretty cool. He said he “would have loved to be achieving what I’ve achieved up until now” when he joined Liverpool. And yeah, he’s definitely done that.
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