Sport
Van Dijk Says It’s a Privilege to Play Against Messi and Ronaldo
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has revealed that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the toughest opponents he’s ever faced on the pitch.
The Dutch defender admitted it’s no easy task coming up against either of the two footballing icons. In a chat with GQ, Van Dijk didn’t hold back as he named the duo as the most challenging players he has had to deal with throughout his career.
“Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “They’re both exceptional. Defending against them is incredibly tough. But for me, it’s an honour to play against the very best. It pushes you to your limits and keeps you sharp. That’s the beauty of it.”
Van Dijk has locked horns with Ronaldo five times, winning twice and losing three. He’s faced Messi three times, with two defeats and one unforgettable win—Liverpool’s 4–0 comeback at Anfield in 2019 that knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League.
Now nearing the end of their legendary careers, Messi is with Inter Miami in the MLS, while Ronaldo stars for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Despite being rivals on the field, both remain benchmarks for greatness—and Van Dijk knows it firsthand.
Former Manchester United player, Jesse Lingard, has revealed that he has mutually agreed to leave FC Seoul and his contract will end. It is reported that he will leave next week.
It can be noted that the footballer joined in February 2024 and has made 66 appearances since then, scoring 18 goals.
The player shared his experience on social media, saying “My time in South Korea has been unbelievable — the football, the atmosphere, and the passion around this club have been top class.”
“The love, support, and appreciation you have shown towards me over these last two years has been truly amazing. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to play for such a massive club.”
Former footballer, Rio Ferdinand compares Arsenal star player, Bukayo Saka, to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
When comparing players, he shared that: “When Saka is on it, he looks unplayable,” however he also stated that even with Salah’s stature, he is strong.
He has got the strength like Mohamed Salah. He is small in frame and size when you look at him, but do you ever see him get pushed off the ball?
“You don’t really see people take the ball off him or put him on his arse. He is a strong little guy.”
Former Chelsea player Frank Leboeuf speaks on recent league matches and names two clubs that can really challenge Arsenal this season, Manchester City and Chelsea.
During a recent interview when speaking about Arsenal, he shared “They are still the big favourites [for the title], but they will have to prove it. They lost four points against Sunderland and Chelsea. Manchester City are back, Chelsea are still there.”
“We will have the winter period, which will start very soon, so let’s see,” he said.
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