While many Premier League stars are back in training, Virgil van Dijk is still savoring some downtime.
The centre-back capped off a busy season by helping Liverpool secure the Champions League title and then representing the Netherlands in the Nations League, where they finished as runners-up to Portugal.
Van Dijk, regarded as one of the top players globally, recently attended Wimbledon for the first time. The 28-year-old enjoyed the matches on Centre Court, watching Simona Halep defeat Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-3 to advance to her first Wimbledon final. He also witnessed Serena Williams triumph over Barbora Strycova 6-1, 6-2 in the other women’s semi-final.
In an interview with Wimbledon’s official Twitter account, Van Dijk reflected on Liverpool’s Champions League victory against Tottenham, saying, “It’s been a while, so I had a nice little break and I’m happy to be here.”
Discussing his Wimbledon experience, he mentioned, “I’ve watched some games on TV recently, and being here now is something special. I’m looking forward to today’s matches; it’s going to be a good day.”
Van Dijk expressed his enjoyment of attending a sports event without the usual pressures, stating, “It’s very good. Hopefully, I can just enjoy the games, have a drink, and relax.”
When comparing tennis players’ solo struggles to footballers’ team support, he noted, “Sometimes I get help from my teammates, but tennis players have to do it on their own. They have a great trainer and supporters in the stands, but it’s all about them.”
Liverpool’s pre-season kicks off on Thursday night with a match against Tranmere Rovers, and Van Dijk is expected to return to Melwood soon.
