Dutch penalty pain, rout by Real: Virgil van Dijk aims to prove resilience

W ith Lionel Messi stage left and basking in his World Cup glory, there was cause for regret for Virgil van Dijk under the lights of Salle Pleyel on Monday night. His trip to the Parisian concert hall was about recognition, however, and reward for the sacrifices that have enabled the Liverpool defender to retake his place alongside the elite.

Jürgen Klopp had no hesitation in granting Van Dijk’s request to pop over to Paris for the Best Fifa Awards 2022 despite preparing for Wolves’ visit to Anfield in the Premier League 48 hours later. “It’s great,” the Liverpool manager said of Van Dijk’s place in the Fifa Fifpro men’s team of the year. “It’s fully and absolutely deserved.” The 31-year-old repaid his manager with the crucial opening goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 win on Wednesday.

Klopp would not stand in the way of any Liverpool player wanting to collect a high-profile award voted for by fellow professionals, circumstances permitting. But allowing Van Dijk, resplendent in a green suit and black turtle neck, to stand on stage with Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Casemiro among others felt a timely and pointed celebration of the defender’s standing.

This has been a trying season for Liverpool, their defence and individuals alike. The World Cup brought hope for the Netherlands and their captain, only to end in the despair of a penalty shootout defeat by Argentina in the quarter-finals. The last time Van Dijk and Messi were in close proximity before Monday was when passing each other during the shootout. Van Dijk missed the Netherlands’ first spot-kick, Messi converted Argentina’s, and their paths diverged in Qatar. The defender attempted to move on by throwing himself back into Liverpool duties but, in his third game in a week after