Rafael van der Vaart has backtracked on his criticism of Virgil van Dijk, insisting the Netherlands and Liverpool captain remains one of the best defenders around. The former Dutch international had earlier compared Van Dijk to a Boeing 747, sparking a fierce response from Jurgen Klopp.
Van der Vaart's Initial Comments
Van der Vaart, analyzing for Dutch broadcaster NOS, made the remark before Ronald Koeman's side beat Sweden 5-1 on Saturday in Houston, Texas. He said: "I must honestly say that I was a bit shocked by Van Dijk. That turning...It was a bit of a Boeing 747. I hope he will run a little faster during the tournament."
Klopp's Fierce Defense
Klopp, who signed Van Dijk for £75m from Southampton in 2018, leaped to his former captain's defense in his own role on German TV. He told Magenta: "If [Van der Vaart] ever says something positive about a player, I'm willing to take him seriously again." Klopp added: "I don't know if it's worth naming Rafael van der Vaart at all. But if he ever says something positive about a player, I'm willing to take him seriously again."
Van der Vaart's Change of Heart
Speaking in his AceOdds.com column, Van der Vaart appeared to change his stance. "Van Dijk is still our leader," he said. "And I think he is performing well. He was one time turning a bit slow against Japan, but this is normal. He had a bad injury (ACL in October 2020) and a tough season at Liverpool."
"He is not getting younger, and for me it looks like he always tries to get the team to stay compact because that benefits him as a player. However, if we truly analyse him honestly, he is still one of the very, very best. Look at how easily Saibari outran Gabriel, who is considered in England the best centre-back. I was watching Saliba in the France game, and I saw quite a few mistakes. Compare Van Dijk with other centre backs, and it's clear that even at a so-so season, he is still elite."
"He is still our best defender. Without a doubt. He has been unfairly criticised by some in the Netherlands, but he is still our captain and our leader. But our nature is to criticise. One day you are the king, the next day you are s***."
Context of the Criticism
Van der Vaart made the initial comment when discussing Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Japan in their opening game at the World Cup last week. The 34-year-old Van Dijk has been in action at the World Cup, and his performance against Japan drew criticism from the former Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder.
