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The Dutch defender admits that he has developed his game at a fast pace in recent years and that it has earned him major honors this season.
Virgil van Dijk claims that there was a time when he "was not good enough to play the central defender", but as the most expensive defender in the world, this £ 75 million man seeks to become a legend of Liverpool.
Back in his teens, the Dutch international revealed that he was a struggling right-back who was slowly progressing in the development of his game.
He found a way to reverse the situation and did not regret his decision.
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Van Dijk said BBC Sport"At 16, I was a slow right back and I was not good enough to play center.
"I have never been an outstanding player before playing for under 19s and becoming the captain. Then everything went much better. I played games for under 23 and after that was pretty fast. "
After a modest debut in Groningen, Van Dijk is sure to move to Celtic in 2013 and a Premier League transfer to Southampton two years later.
Its rapid improvement quickly attracted the interest of major European parties, but it was forced to wait for a record transfer to Anfield, while those at St Mary's initially expressed reluctance to approve its sale.
Van Dijk added a long saga that eventually led to Merseyside in January 2018: "After the end of the month of August [and the transfer window] I dropped my head, played for Southampton and gave everything. I was happy to play because I was coming back from an eight month injury.
"When everything happened during the summer, people have doubts about you. For me, I really did not care because I gave everything in games and training. When we were in December and I received a call to tell me that they had reached an agreement and that I could talk to Liverpool, I was very happy.
"I went to the Juventus final against Real Madrid in Cardiff in 2017 and a lot of Liverpool fans came to see me and said I had to sign for them. It was a big gesture. they were kind and respectful. "
Having had the move that he hoped for, Van Dijk had an immediate impact in Liverpool.
He helped the Reds compete for the Premier League title while pursuing another Champions League title. The 27-year-old is determined to engrave his name in the club's illustrious folklore.
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When asked how he wanted him to be remembered in the future, Van Dijk said, "As a Liverpool legend. I want to do amazing things here. We have a fantastic team, we have everything, we have all the tools.
"They all went to get me and I want to give everything to them. Before starting the training [with the club], I went to the Leicester match [in December 2017]. I was in the meeting room and I met so many legends, excellent players who played for a magnificent club.
"When you play in this club, you will always be welcome as a family member. That's one of the reasons I really wanted to play for the club. "
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