- Netherlands out of World Cup after penalty shootout
- Van Dijk offers very blunt assessment
- Dutch defender's first major international tournament
WHAT HAPPENED? After an enthralling 120 minutes of football, the Netherlands were dumped out of the World Cup by Lionel Messi and Argentina. Van Dijk stepped up first in the shootout for the Dutch and saw his penalty saved by Emiliano Martinez, and the defender was in no mood after the game to discuss his favourites for the rest of the tournament.
WHAT HE SAID: "I don’t care. I won’t watch any more," Van Dijk said when asked if he thought Argentina could win the whole World Cup.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: This was Van Dijk's first tournament with the Netherlands (he was injured for Euro 2020) and he mostly did well for himself with his performances in Qatar. The centre-back was a commanding captain for his nation and ready to get stuck in, as was evident when he bundled Leandro Parades over after the midfielder slammed the ball into the Netherlands bench after chopping down Nathan Ake.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK? The Liverpool defender may be offered some time off by his club after an intense month in Qatar, though the Reds face Aston Villa on their Premier League return in little under two weeks.