Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, has omitted Cristiano Ronaldo from his roster of most challenging opponents he has encountered.
Since his £75 million move to Liverpool in 2018, Van Dijk has played a pivotal role in the team’s triumphs in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.
Despite facing Ronaldo in several matches, including the 2018 Champions League final, the Al Nassr forward did not make it onto Van Dijk’s list.
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Instead, the Dutch defender highlighted Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Sergio Aguero, and Olivier Giroud as his toughest opponents.
In an interview on The Rest Is Football podcast, Van Dijk stated:
“I would say Erling Haaland is a very challenging opponent, very robust, epitomizing the modern-day striker.”
“The same goes for Aguero. Although he didn’t score many goals against us, I faced him during my time at Southampton, and he was always a handful. He could finish with either foot, keeping you on your toes.”
Regarding Giroud, he remarked:
“[He was] a link-up player, often paired with [Eden] Hazard. Their combination play was remarkable, with Hazard providing the flicks and Giroud adept at holding up the ball.”
“He managed to score some impressive goals against me. Even though I always felt he wouldn’t score, he found a way to do so.”