Virgil van Dijk points to Celtic mentality shift which helped make him one of world's best

Virgil Van Dijk hasn’t set foot in Glasgow since leaving Celtic in 2015. And when he returns to the city on Wednesday night, it’s fair to say the welcome he gets down Govan way won’t exactly be warm. But even the most hostile reception at Ibrox won’t sour van Dijk’s memories of being here.

In fact, the Dutch defender holds the place close to his heart in more ways than one. It’s not just about the triple trophy success he had at Celtic during a two-year stint. And it’s not only because his daughter, Nila, was born here. For van Dijk, Glasgow is what made him the player and person he is today.

The captain of Holland is widely regarded as the best centre-back in the world right now. He’s Liverpool’s lynchpin at the back and was a cornerstone of their Premier League and Champions League triumphs under Jurgen Klopp.

But he says his move to Celtic almost a decade ago was integral to his development. In midweek, he’ll face Rangers at Ibrox in the Champions League, a venue he didn’t get to sample when he was here last. And as he prepared for the Battle of Britain clash, he revealed why Glasgow means so much to him.

He said: “It’s going to be my first time going back there, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll see lots of friends in Glasgow. The city means a lot to me. It was my first time going abroad and the first time I won trophies in my career. All of those things were massive for me. They shaped me, how I am as a person.

“I’ve also got my daughter, who was born there. So I have so many good memories that I’ll cherish forever. It will be great to go back. Before Celtic, I played for FC Groningen for a long time. They’re a mid-table club in Holland - sometimes you defend a lot, sometimes you attack.

“But it was