The Liverpool defender has tested himself against many of the most formidable attacking talents of his generation. ..Continue Reading
He is frequently recognized as one of the toughest opponents by fellow players—Martin Odegaard has described him as his most challenging adversary, while Sergio Aguero also admitted he found it difficult to compete against Van Dijk.
In an interview with GQ, Van Dijk was asked to identify the most difficult player he has ever faced.
The Dutch center-back singled out both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the two most formidable opponents he has encountered.
He acknowledged that defending against either of them posed a tremendous challenge.
Speaking to GQ, Van Dijk was clear in his assessment—Messi and Ronaldo were the hardest players he has ever had to contain.
Van Dijk stated via TBR Football: “Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both very, very, very good players.
“Very difficult to defend against. In my opinion, it is always a privilege to play against the best. You can continually challenge yourself, and you must always be at your absolute best — it is a beautiful thing.”
Van Dijk has gone up against Ronaldo five times, with the Portuguese forward getting the better of him on three occasions.
The Dutch defender has faced Messi three times, suffering defeat twice. However, his lone victory was a momentous one—Liverpool’s stunning 4-0 comeback at Anfield against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final, overturning a 3-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-3 on aggregate.
Both Messi and Ronaldo are now in the latter stages of their legendary careers.
Messi currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, while Ronaldo continues his journey in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.