Klopp dismisses van der Vaart’s criticism of van Dijk
Jurgen Klopp has publicly dismissed Rafael van der Vaart’s stinging assessment of Virgil van Dijk, declaring the former Tottenham midfielder’s views irrelevant until he offers praise for any footballer, reports BritPanorama.
The ex-Liverpool manager, currently serving as a pundit for MagentaTV at the World Cup, responded to Van der Vaart’s criticism with characteristic directness. “I don’t know if it’s worth naming Rafael van der Vaart at all,” Klopp stated. “But if he ever says something positive about a player, I’m willing to take him seriously again.”
Klopp added that Van der Vaart appears to identify issues simply to express them “in a flowery way” before criticising players, concluding: “But it’s not that important.”
Van der Vaart sparked the controversy while working for Dutch broadcaster NOS following the Netherlands’ opening Group F match against Japan, which finished 2-2. The 43-year-old, who earned 109 caps for his country, delivered a withering verdict on the Liverpool captain’s mobility after Ronald Koeman’s side twice surrendered their lead.
“I have to be honest: I was quite shocked by Van Dijk,” Van der Vaart said. “With him, I thought: that doesn’t look good. Especially while turning. It is proving very difficult. A bit like a Boeing 747 turning. I hope he starts turning a bit faster during the tournament.”
The Netherlands responded emphatically in their second fixture, dismantling Sweden 5-1 on Saturday with Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey each netting twice, while fellow Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch also impressed. Van Dijk played his part in containing another attacking threat, though he was beaten for pace by Anthony Elanga on Sweden’s consolation goal.
Klopp managed the Dutch defender for six and a half years at Anfield, during which time they claimed eight major trophies together, with Van Dijk serving as captain in the German’s final season. The pair recently crossed paths at the tournament in the United States, with supporters describing photographs of their reunion warmly.
The Netherlands now sit atop Group F with four points from their opening two matches, setting up a final group stage encounter against already eliminated Tunisia in Kansas City on Thursday. Van Dijk revealed after the Sweden victory that he sustained a knock during the match, telling NOS: “I took a hard hit to my hip, and I couldn’t feel my upper leg anymore, so that was a little bit crazy.”
The 34-year-old believes the issue was likely a pinched nerve and expects to be available for the Tunisia fixture, though the team will assess his condition in the coming days. In a World Cup filled with high expectations, the scrutiny of players remains unrelenting, not unlike the ebb and flow of the tournament itself.
