"I've played against Lionel Messi, Mbappe, Aguero" - Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk snubs all 3 superstars and names the toughest opponent he has faced 

Liverpool superstar Virgil van Dijk has revealed the toughest opponent he's faced and it's not one of the most obvious choices.

The Dutchman is widely considered one of the best centre-backs in the world for his phenomenal displays at the heart of the Reds backline.

He's kept out some of the biggest names in football but when questioned on the hardest player he's come up against, Van Dijk had an interesting response.

The former Southampton player revealed that Olivier Giroud 'always managed to score' in some way while labeling him the 'Bogeyman'.

Speaking on the podcast Pitch Side, he said:

"I recently gave an interview and I spoke about the Bogeyman - Olivier Giroud. He's probably not the best ever player I played against because I've played against Lionel Messi, Mbappe, Aguero, those guys are extremely good but Giroud, he always managed to score in some ways so I will say again that he is the Bogeyman. That's how I label him."

Van Dijk and Giroud have gone head-to-head several times in the Premier League at various clubs and the striker has scored six goals against the defender in 12 matches.

That's an average of one goal every two games, which is a good record when your opponent is someone of Van Dijk's caliber.

The Frenchman's current tally includes three goals in Arsenal colors when Van Dijk was at Southampton, and then three more with Chelsea after the centre-back joined Liverpool.

Van Dijk has faced Lionel Messi twice in the Champions League - in the semi-finals of the 2018-19 season - and the Argentine scored twice, including a free-kick, in the first leg.

However, the Dutchman gained revenge by keeping him out in the stunning 4-0 comeback in the second leg.

Kylian Mbappe has scored one goal against Van Dijk although it was a losing cause as Liverpool beat PSG 3-2, while Sergio Aguero struck just once against the towering defender.

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Liverpool go into the break strongly

Liverpool's topsy-turvy campaign saw a strong ending before the 2022 FIFA World Cup-induced break. They won their last four games in all competitions, including two in the Premier League.

The Reds have blown hot and cold this season, with big wins in Europe met with shock domestic losses to teams languishing in the bottom half of the league standings.

Virgil van Dijk himself has come under fire for erroneous displays but appears to have found his feet in recent weeks, which bodes well for him ahead of the World Cup.

The defender is part of the Netherlands' 26-man squad for the tournament. The Dutch have been clubbed alongside Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal in Group A.