Virgil van Dijk had a message for every single Liverpool fan after Sunday’s Premier League title win on Sunday : Celebrate and enjoy yourself.
Certainly for those at Anfield, it was a request that was duly obliged by a set of supporters desperate to mark a first title being clinched in front of fans in 35 years. The 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur cemented the Reds’ status as the 2024/25 champions, with Arsenal now unable to catch Arne Slot ’s side.
It means Liverpool has won a record-equaling 20th top-flight English title, drawing level with Manchester United. For Van Dijk, one of the few members still left from the victorious 2019/20 campaign, he was front and center of the celebrations following the full-time whistle at Anfield and he finally let his guard down after what has often been a campaign requiring cagey media responses.
“First and foremost, it’s been an amazing Premier League season for us,” the defender said. “We’ve been consistent, well-deserved winners and the reaction we showed after going 1-0 down today was outstanding. Obviously it was a very emotional game.
Reflecting on the last few weeks, when Liverpool’s status as champions was confirmed in all but name, he said: “The time went very slow towards the end but I am glad we got the job done. I speak about everyone who is connected to Liverpool can celebrate and enjoy because that is what you should do as well.
“Obviously I think, in my opinion, it is the hardest league in the world to win so when it is a glorious day in terms of the atmosphere, the weather and a good opponent. It was incredible to be a part of and I think the manager touched on it already on the pitch that we have now two titles in five years, so that is a big achievement in my opinion.”
Sunday’s win means Van Dijk joins the parthenon of legendary Premier League-winning captains and is the first Dutch member of that exclusive club that features the likes of Roy Keane, John Terry and Vincent Kompany. But he’ll have to wait a few more weeks before lifting the Premier League trophy on the final day of the season.
“Ah listen, it will be amazing. I am very happy that I can lift the trophy in front of our beautiful fans and I think I will be very emotional,” said Van Dijk.
“Even today, it was an emotional day with me and my family because the whole week was quite slow, it takes ages before matchday and I think every Liverpool fan across the world thinks that and then today is matchday, you see so many fans already in red, outside, getting ready from early on and you just want to get the job done.”
Liverpool’s success is made even more remarkable given Slot has led the Reds to the title in his first season as head coach, less than 12 months after the team came up short in Jurgen Klopp ’s emotional swansong campaign. Van Dijk feels the new boss has added a level of consistency this season.
“Around that time [of Klopp’s leaving announcement] we were still fighting for the title as well and I had a lot of confidence in my team. We came up short towards the end and I think that was pretty obvious and we weren’t good enough towards the end. We couldn’t find the consistency that we had before that.
“But to replace Jurgen is a good job and I think the manager did it in his own way, with his own staff and I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. That is football, as well. We have to perform, we have to be consistent, try to win games, find ways to win games and that is what we have done.”
