Virgil van Dijk was the only outfield player to play every minute in the 2025/26 Premier League season and has continued to shine for the Netherlands at the World Cup, with Liverpool legend John Barnes dismissing any concerns over burnout
Paul Gorst Liverpool FC correspondent
14:33, 18 Jun 2026
Virgil van Dijk rarely misses a game
Virgil van Dijk rarely misses a game(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool legend John Barnes has dismissed concerns over potential burnout for captain Virgil van Dijk.
Van Dijk was the sole outfield player to feature for every minute of the 2025/26 Premier League season. The Netherlands skipper accumulated 5,661 minutes across all competitions, making him the player currently competing at the World Cup who spent the most time on the pitch for his club during the previous campaign.
Van Dijk, who celebrates his 35th birthday next month, made 64 starts for Liverpool and the Netherlands throughout the season. Yet Barnes remains unconcerned about the veteran's heavy workload heading into a new campaign under Andoni Iraola, in which he is once again expected to play a pivotal role.
"Phil Neal played every game for six seasons at Liverpool," Barnes told Betfred. "Players nowadays take very good care of themselves. They're fit, and center-backs play longer than others.
"He doesn't run around the pitch like a midfielder, up and down. He's experienced, and I'm not worried about Virgil playing every minute of every game. He'll be fine."
Van Dijk netted and was awarded the man of the match accolade in the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday.
Van Dijk is captaining the Netherlands at the World Cup
Van Dijk is captaining the Netherlands at the World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
The Dutch side, whose squad also includes fellow Reds duo Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, next face Alexander Isak's Sweden in Houston, Texas, on Saturday.
Van Dijk's secret
Van Dijk was asked about his longevity during a recent chat with Liverpool's media team. Discussing the secret to his success, the veteran said: "Discipline, discipline and discipline!
"For me, it is something that is quite normal because I feel the responsibility to be there every time and also to perform every time. Last year [2024-25] I didn’t do it [play every minute] because for the Brighton game at the end of the season, I was on the bench.
"So, it’s not really a surprise, but obviously, I’m doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes in order to be ready and take the responsibility for the team.
"So, yes, it is a combination of recovering well, eating well, the right lifestyle in total, also physical therapy. I can’t tell you the details, but yoga, everything. That’s part of it, to make sure that you can perform at a constant level.
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"I’ve had one season here that unfortunately I had to miss a lot of, but in the rest of the seasons I think I’ve played more than 40 matches. And I think the most matches before this season have been played in the season after my knee injury.
"That’s quite remarkable. When I heard that, I thought it was quite interesting.
"But yes, it’s the best thing there is, playing matches. And I do everything for that, and I want to keep doing it at the highest level."