Highlights Virgil Van Dijk excelled at Celtic, netting 10 goals in one season and winning multiple titles before joining Southampton.
The centre-back has praised Celtic’s size and the intensity of the Old Firm derby, highlighting the respectful approach of Rangers fans.
Van Dijk says his time at Celtic has contributed to his success at Liverpool.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has been arguably the world’s greatest centre-back over the best part of the last decade in world football – but he played for Celtic earlier in his career and the Dutchman has stated that fans don’t realise just how big the club – and the Old Firm derby aginst Rangers – is.
Van Dijk joined the Hoops as a fresh-faced 22-year-old from Eredivisie side Groningen, and massively excelled in his two years at Celtic Park. 10 goals in his second season at the club ranked him as the club’s fifth-top goalscorer, an incredible feat from the heart of defence – and it wasn’t long before Southampton came calling.
What he has gone on to achieve in his career is nothing short of superb, and many raised eyebrows when Liverpool paid a record fee to sign him from the Saints back in 2017. But Celtic fans knew he was destined for greatness – and that has been reciprocated by the Champions League and Premier League winner who has stated that people don’t realise just how big Celtic are.
What Virgil Van Dijk Has Said About The Old Firm Derby
Van Dijk made his name in the UK at the Scottish champions
Speaking ahead of the Old Firm derby at the weekend, the Dutchman said that he wouldn’t forget the atmosphere between the two Glaswegian foes – admitting people don’t realise how big Celtic are.
He told the The Rest Is Football podcast: “I played it once. They were in the Championship back then, they weren’t in the top-flight. We played a semi-final at Hampden and I would say the whole preparations and the meetings with police for example before the game to get you ready was more intense than the actual game. But it’s a special game.
“The city is divided with the two clubs and it’s amazing to have played it at least once. It’s an intense battle but at the time when I was there, it was more intense outside the game than the actual game. It was amazing, we really enjoyed it over there. We met some amazing people that we’re still in touch with. The city in general was very bubbly, it’s amazing. We just enjoyed it.
“Of course, you come across some fans of the other team but the same goes here in Liverpool. It’s still sort of respectful, in a way. The fans from the other team that you come across, they are very fanatic about their team but it’s still in a respectful way in the way they approach you.
“To be able to go to Celtic to play for such a big club, because people don’t realise how massive Celtic is, but to play the Champions League first season, and Europa League second season, for me was the perfect development. Then, I felt ready for the next step and the next step in that case was Southampton.”
How Virgil Van Dijk Fared In His Time At Celtic
The Dutchman has long been regarded as their best signing of recent times
Van Dijk only joined the Hoops for a fee of around £2.6million from Groningen, but the talent he showed on the pitch under Neil Lennon and Ronny Deila was streets above anyone else. 15 goals in just 115 games is an incredible tally for a centre-back, and that was backed up by consecutive Scottish Premiership titles and a League Cup to boot.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Virgil Van Dijk has a goal ratio of one goal every ten games throughout his career, having scored 52 goals in 520 games.
A lack of Old Firm games with Rangers on their way back from a drop to the fourth division meant that Van Dijk only got to compete in the one game, but two appearances in the Scottish PFA Team of the Season was enough to show that he had sussed the Scottish game out from an early age, especially by being called up to the Dutch national team in his time in Glasgow.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 05-04-24.