“Protecting his ego again”, “He needs to be benched” – Fans blast Netherlands superstar after ‘poor game’ during 1-1 draw with Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup

Fans were not pleased with Virgil van Dijk's efforts just before Ecuador's equalizer against the Netherlands in their FIFA World Cup group stage game on November 25.

The European nation's 2-0 win against Senegal in their 2022 World Cup opener handed them some leeway going into the game. A win against manager Gustavo Alfaro's team would have guaranteed qualification to the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

The in-form Cody Gakpo scored in the sixth minute to make it two goals in two World Cup matches for him. Ecuador thought they equalized in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, only for Pervis Estupinan's strike to be ruled out for offside.

They eventually drew level on the night via Enner Valencia. He scored after Netherlands goalkeeper Andries Noppert deflected Estupinan's shot straight into his path. Valencia created history by becoming the first player to score six consecutive World Cup goals for a South American country.

However, according to many fans, the goal could have been prevented if Van Dijk had been more aggressive with his defending. The Liverpool centre-back was accused of not tackling the former Villarreal left-back in a timely manner and backing off needlessly. His shot ultimately resulted in Noppert deflecting it into Valencia's path, who was on hand for a simple tap-in.

Here are some of the best reactions from fans to Van Dijk's efforts following the 1-1 draw:

Van Dijk's posture suggested he wanted to shut off two avenues by himself, blocking a possible shot and trying to stop a potential cut-back. Unfortunately, for him, the situation seemingly demanded something else.

Jurrien Timber and Nathan Ake were equally at fault for the goal. While the former lost the ball which led to Ecuador's goal-scoring attack, the latter was slow to react to Noppert's save.

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Virgil van Dijk reacts to the Netherlands' FIFA World Cup draw against Ecuador

Speaking after the Netherlands' draw against Ecuador, Van Dijk offered a brief assessment of the opposition.

He said (h/t @TheEuropeanLad):

"We faced a great team. They put very good pressure, they are not world class on the ball but they are aggressive [sic.] and sharp."

Van Dijk's form at Liverpool this season has been mixed at best. The former Southampton centre-back's calmness and composure in defense make him one of the very best defenders in the world.

However, the same nonchalance can attract criticism if things do not work out on the pitch for him and his team ends up conceding.

The 1-1 draw wasn't the worst result for the 2010 World Cup finalists though. A point against Qatar on November 29 will be enough to see the Netherlands through to the knockout rounds.