Max Verstappen may be a huge Manchester United fan, but he has a soft spot for Liverpool and is close to a number of the Dutch players at Anfield
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Max Verstappen has won the F1 title for 2024 (Image: Getty Images)
Max Verstappen has revealed it was Manchester United's Dutch legends that swayed his Premier League loyalties. The four-time Formula 1 World Champion has made the admission despite his friendships with Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo
"I just like the story behind when Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager," he shared with Mirror Sport. "Initially, the Dutch connection with [Ruud] van Nistelrooy and [Robin] van Persie also came in.
"You become a fan and you start reading more into the club, how they have achieved a lot of their success. It just inspires me. I like it. I'm like, 'Yeah, that's really cool and it's a cool club'. Of course, they went through a tough time, but when I see them do well, it makes me happy."
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Verstappen speaks very highly of Van Nistelrooy, a former star at United and a brief but unbeaten interim boss post-Erik ten Hag's departure. Despite being replaced by Ruben Amorim as manager, the racer expressed sadness over Van Nistelrooy's exit from Old Trafford yet relayed optimism for his future after a victorious start as Leicester City's new manager, triumphing 3-1 against West Ham United on Tuesday.
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen shared his verdict on the latest happenings at United and Liverpool. Despite United suffering back-to-back losses against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, Verstappen praised Amorim, saying: "It's going to be a big task, but he's an exciting manager. He's still very young. I think he has a lot of potential, and I just hope that he brings the best out of the players and of himself. I hope he will bring the club back to the top."
Acknowledging the departure of Van Nistelrooy from his favourite club, Verstappen said: "Of course, naturally, I was a little bit sad to see Van Nistelrooy go completely out of the club. But then he got a great role at Leicester now, so I'm also very excited to see how he will do."
Despite being a committed United supporter, the F1 star spoke warmly of Liverpool, influenced by its strong Dutch presence, including Gakpo, Van Dijk, and Gravenberch, along with manager Arne Slot. Verstappen revealed his cordial relationships with the Anfield contingent: "I just like to stay in touch. Of course, I like to see the Dutch national team do well."
He concluded with a personal invitation he received, noting: "Virgil keeps inviting me to come to a game, and I will definitely do it. I'm not that idiot that hates another club. When I see Virgil play or Cody, when they do well at Liverpool, that excites me as well.
"When they're leading in the league, I'm like, 'Yeah, that's great'. They're having an amazing season. It's cool. I'm also a fan of Barcelona. It's not like I hate Real Madrid. I'm a little bit more of a fan of Barcelona."