Liverpool legend John Barnes has dismissed concerns that captain Virgil van Dijk might suffer from burnout after an intensive season.
Van Dijk was the only outfield player to feature in every minute of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. The Netherlands captain accumulated a total of 5,661 minutes across all competitions, making him the player at the current World Cup with the most club playing time last season.
Turning 35 next month, Van Dijk started 64 matches for Liverpool and the Netherlands combined.
Barnes Unfazed by Workload
Despite the heavy workload, Barnes is not worried about the veteran defender heading into a new season under manager Andoni Iraola, where Van Dijk is expected to remain a key figure.
Barnes told Betfair: "Phil Neal played every game for six seasons at Liverpool. Players nowadays take very good care of themselves, they’re fit and centre-backs play longer than others. He doesn’t run around the pitch like a midfielder, up and down. He’s experienced and I’m not worried about Virgil playing every minute of every game. He’ll be fine."
Recent Performance
Van Dijk scored and was named player of the match in the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday night. The Dutch squad also includes Liverpool teammates Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo. Their next match is against Sweden, led by Alexander Isak, in Houston, Texas on Saturday.
