Virgil van Dijk may be closing in on historic milestones at Liverpool, but according to Juan Mata, he still has a long way to go to reach the summit.
The former Chelsea star has revealed exactly why John Terry “beats” the Dutchman in the ultimate Premier League centre-back debate, pointing to a specific trait that leaves the Liverpool captain in his dust.
Van Dijk might well now be deep into the twilight years of his playing days at Liverpool, but it’s undeniable that he is still regarded as an Anfield great, at the grand age of 34.
Amazingly, even with all the influx of new, fresh talent that has arrived in Merseyside, the Dutch colossus remains a staple in the heart of Liverpool’s defence.
Virgil van Dijk scores his 23rd goal, the most by a Liverpool defender ⚽️
With Mohamed Salah's 92nd assist, level with Steven Gerrard 🅰️@LFC's winner against Sunderland… pic.twitter.com/4wknNQKV8T
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 13, 2026
The colossal Dutchman proved his worth as a match-winner back in mid-February, powering home a pinpoint Mohamed Salah delivery to sink Sunderland. That vital header secured all three points for an inconsistent Reds side and took Van Dijk’s tally to 23 goals cementing his status as one of the league’s most lethal threats from set-pieces.
It really has been a glittering career for Van Dijk at Anfield, with some of his individual achievements donning Liverpool red, including a UEFA Men’s Player of the Year accolade coming his way in 2019, a Premier League Player of the Season award falling into his lap in 2018, and he was even runner-up to Lionel Messi once upon a time in the Ballon d’Or stakes.
Van Dijk Liverpool stats:
Competition Appearances Goals Assists
Premier League 262 24 7
Champions League 60 4 6
FA Cup 13 2 0
League Cup 12 2 0
Other 11 1 0
Total 357 32 13
Lifting a Champions League and two top-flight titles as well, it’s clear that the Dutch veteran will be immortalised forever in English football’s hall-of-fame ranks, alongside Liverpool’s, for his continued sublime contributions.
Yet, Juan Mata – who so often clashed with Liverpool in some tasty games with Manchester United and Chelsea as a midfield dynamo – believes his former Stamford Bridge teammate, John Terry, betters the Liverpool stalwart in a greatest-ever Premier League centre-back debate.
Undoubtedly, despite rivalries and sworn allegiances to clubs, it goes without saying that Terry is also a top-flight hall-of-famer.
Indeed, the now-retired 45-year-old would amass a staggering 717 appearances for Chelsea before seeing out the end days of his playing career with Aston Villa.
Across those games, the ever-reliable titan would also chip in with 67 goals and 29 assists, with Van Dijk way off those numbers when comparing on a surface level.
When speaking on TalkSPORT recently, Mata weighed in with his thoughts, coming out to declare that the Englishman is “one of the best ever” and would be his preferred option between the two.
The silky Spaniard stated, when speaking with Alan Brazil: “John. For me, John, and of course Virgil is fantastic and what he’s done for Liverpool I respect that. But the personality, the character, what he meant on the pitch, his leadership and of course Virgil also.
But the way… you know when I was taking corners and free kicks, I knew that if we had John Terry, if we had Didier Drogba, if we had [Gary] Cahill, if we had [Branislav] Ivanovic in the box, I just had to put the ball there and it will probably be a chance. So, yeah, for me, John is one of the best ever.”
John Terry goals vs. Liverpool:
Date Competition Venue Final score Goal details
November 11, 2012 Premier League Stamford Bridge 1-1 Header from a Mata corner
May 10, 2015 Premier League Stamford Bridge 1-1 Header from a Fabregas corner
Away from often popping up in the right place at the right time, from a Mata delivery to be viewed as a vital source of goals, Terry also has the advantage of having more trophies on his side, with five Premier League titles collected, next to Van Dijk’s lesser two.
He did find it difficult to get the better of Liverpool as a Stamford Bridge mainstay, however, with a career 17 defeats piled up against the Reds, as he only managed to score two goals against them, as well.
It’s a debate that will generate a whole array of answers, depending on who you ask, with Reds supporters no doubt still backing Van Dijk in this head-to-head race, despite Mata’s compelling argument.