Virgil van Dijk has undoubtedly been one of Liverpool’s best players over the last few years.
Without the Dutchman among their ranks, it’s unclear how well Liverpool would have done and whether they’d have even managed to win the Premier League or the Champions League.
Of course, the performances of Mohamed Salah also need to be taken into account, but the fact that Van Dijk can make almost any partner that plays alongside him a much better player shows how important he is.
Several players have tried to take his throne as the best centre-back in the world over the last few years, but time and time again, the Reds’ captain has proved his worth.
Alessandro Nesta thinks that Virgil van Dijk is the best centre-back in the world
The fact that AC Milan legend Alessandro Nesta is even mentioning Van Dijk is an achievement in itself.
The Italian was one of Milan’s key players during their heyday, with his performances often single-handedly earning the Serie A outfit points.
And now, while speaking to GOAL, the legendary centre-back has shared his thoughts on Van Dijk and why he thinks he’s the best centre-back in the world.
“For me now, Van Dijk is the best [centre-back in the world],” he said.
“[He’s] the best because he performs every year at the same level, he plays in the Premier League, the biggest league in the world for me, and the toughest.
“For me, he’s the best.”
Liverpool must find Virgil van Dijk a new partner as Ibrahima Konate is no longer cutting it
Since the start of the 2025-26 season, Ibrahima Konate has been a walking mistake.
The centre-back has entered the final year of his deal at Liverpool, with clubs such as Real Madrid thinking about making a move for him in the summer.
Although this isn’t likely to be the only reason behind his poor form, the fact that he’s never played this badly during his time with the Anfield outfit makes you think that his contract situation is the reason.
However, since Giovanni Leoni is now injured and Joe Gomez’s form is equally poor, Slot doesn’t have all that many options at his disposal.
So, with this in mind, if Liverpool don’t manage to find a new partner for Van Dijk soon or even a successor for him, then they could find themselves in a world of trouble.
At the moment, things are okay as the Dutchman is still in a good run of form, but if he does end up having an off game or two at any point, it could be curtains for the Reds’ title hopes.
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