Van Dijk has recently faced challenges as his leadership abilities have come under scrutiny. Spaan holds Pickford responsible for the 32-year-old’s inability to reach the heights of prior years.
After an appalling tackle by the English goalie, the Dutchman sustained a catastrophic knee injury in October 2022. The author discusses how Van Dijk performed during a 2-0 victory against the Republic of Ireland to illustrate how she believes this has had a long-lasting effect on his career.
Finally, the journalist insisted that Pickford was to blame for Van Dijk’s career decline.
Before his injury, Van Dijk was regarded by many as one of the best center-backs in all of football. In the previous season, he participated in 50 different competitions and helped his team keep 26 clean sheets. He also contributed to Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League victory with six goals and four assists.Since his cruciate ligament ruptured, he has had difficulty regaining his previous level of performance. Spaan lambasted Pickford for his appalling tackle, but Carlo Ancelotti, a former Everton manager, claimed Pickford was visibly distressed afterward.
Dutch legend Marco van Basten has also criticized the Reds captain for his lack of leadership. The AC Milan icon said to Ziggo Sport that he was poor at communication.Â
Van Basten went on to explain that his fellow countryman creates noise but says nothing:
While receiving criticism for his lack of leadership, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has defended his new captain.
The Dutchman has 225 appearances at Anfield and four major championships, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. As the new captain of the Merseysiders, he must succeed Jordan Henderson.
