Ibrahima Konate, a star player for Liverpool and France, has stated that he wants to eclipse Virgil van Dijk’s legacy. In their UEFA Euros 2024 qualifying match against the Netherlands on October 13, the Frenchman is scheduled to play for his nation.
Since joining the Reds in 2021, Konate has collaborated with Van Dijk, establishing himself as one of Jurgen Klopp’s most reliable center backs. Before suffering a muscle injury that prevented him from starting, the 24-year-old was Van Dijk’s partner at the center of his team’s defense at the beginning of the season. Virgil Van Dijk, a legendary defender of his era, came very close to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2019, trailing only Lionel Messi in the race.
After Jordan Henderson left Liverpool to join Al-Ettifaq this summer, the Dutchman was named the new captain of Liverpool. According to Ibrahima Konate’s admission in the interview, Van Dijk is aware of his ambition to surpass him. Van Dijk and his Netherlands teammates face a challenging task against a France team that has won six of their previous seven meetings, the speaker added, praising the 32-year-old for being a trailblazer for contemporary defenders. A win in Amsterdam would move Ronald Koeman’s team one step closer to qualifying for the Euros the following summer.
