5 Things you didn't know about Virgil van Dijk

#4 He once scored a Messi-Esque goal

The 6ft tall Dutchman is known for his amazing defensive exhibits, but he once scored a wonderful solo goal while he was at Celtic. The center-back picked up the ball in his half, breezed past the entire St Johnston defense and midfield, and slotted the ball in the bottom left corner, scoring the kind of goal we only see from Lionel Messi.

Since moving to Anfield, he's scored some brilliant, and some crucial goals for Liverpool, such as the one against Everton in the Premier League or the one against Bayern in the Champions League. Though the level of opposition he plays against is much higher today, we certainly can't take anything away from his solo effort for the Scottish side.

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#3 He nearly died in 2012

Van Dijk was close to death in 2012

Van Dijk was just 20 at that time, playing for FC Groningen, and one of his former coaches revealed that his life almost came to an end after doctors had performed an emergency operation on the Dutchman.

Suffering from appendicitis, peritonitis and a kidney infection, his mum took him to several hospitals before the doctors could perform the decisive operation. Van Dijk reveals it was the darkest time of his life and his career, and he wasn't even sure if he'd live, let alone kick a ball again.

"I still remember lying in that bed," he said. "The only thing I could see were tubes dangling out of me. My body was broken and I couldn't do anything".

Van Dijk even wrote a will for his mum but didn't disclose it publicly. Fortunately, he lived through the pain and the suffering, and since then, he has come a long way and has planted his feet as one of the best defenders of his generation.