‘He limits himself’: All-time great believes ‘top’ Liverpool player can actually improve if he wants to

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Legendary striker Marco van Basten believes Virgil van Dijk doesn’t actually play to the best of his abilities for Liverpool. The Dutchman ‘limits himself’.

Virgil van Dijk has pretty unquestionably been the world’s best defender over the last few years – except for his injured season, of course. The Liverpool star is back to his best after that serious knee problem and shining as the Reds aim to conquer the world again.

But Van Dijk perhaps doesn’t get the same kind of discussion about him as he did pre-injury. Here is a former Premier League Player of the Year, after all, and a Ballon d’Or runner-up. He’s not in the same debates now, though, despite maintaining his incredible level.

And perhaps that’s why Marco van Basten believes Van Dijk can do more. He says his compatriot ‘limits himself’ for Liverpool and is actually capable of delivering an even higher level.

“Of course, his development has really gone from low to high, and he is definitely at the top now,” he told Ziggo Sports, per SportNiuews.

“He’s a grandiose defender and a grandiose player. He’s fast, he can head well, he has good passing, good technique and yet I do think he can still improve, especially in his presence.

“He could be controlling, use possession quicker, midfield play quicker, getting the ball forward in the right way.

“I think he can do much more, he often limits himself to playing the ball to his full-backs, but he has a great pass in him. He can dribble in; he has good technique to do it. He can be much more dominant.”

Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool

It’s an interesting one. Van Dijk does have more ability on the ball than he perhaps shows, while we don’t see him carry it out as Joel Matip does. But we think that’s by design, rather than the player ‘limiting himself’.

Van Dijk is Liverpool’s safety net. He’s the one who makes sure the team limits its mistakes and keeps things sensible. He’ll sometimes play that sweeping pass out wide but only when it’s comfortable for him to make – otherwise, he’ll find a midfielder.

So yes, he could take more risks and force himself on the game more. But would that lead to Liverpool winning more often? It might actually have the opposite effect and make them a little less reliable.

We like Van Dijk playing the way he does. It has him as one of the best defenders we’ve ever seen in Reds – probably in the top two. And it certainly has Liverpool winning reliably.