Virgil van Dijk has shared a brilliant throwback from his Celtic days which now has a very different meaning.
The former Hoops defender posted an image on Instagram of himself in action against Xavi during Celtic’s Champions League meeting with Barcelona in 2013.
At the time, Van Dijk was still in the early stages of his Celtic career while Xavi was one of the biggest names in European football.
Virgil van Dijk Drops Brilliant Celtic Throwback
Fast forward 13 years and the pair are now working together with the Netherlands, with Xavi in charge of the national side and Van Dijk continuing as captain.
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The image is a reminder of how much has changed since Van Dijk’s time in Glasgow.
He arrived at Celtic in 2013 and quickly established himself before eventually moving on to Southampton and then Liverpool.
Xavi, meanwhile, was still playing for Barcelona when the pair came up against each other at Celtic Park.
Now the former Barcelona midfielder is Van Dijk’s manager at international level.
Virgil van Dijk Drops Brilliant Celtic Throwback
Berlin, Germany – July 6, 2024: Captain Virgil van Dijk of Netherlands (#4) in action during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final game Netherlands v Turkey at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany
The Netherlands have started their Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Germany before following that up with a 2-1 win away to Serbia on Sunday.
That has given Xavi a solid start in the job, with Van Dijk still an important part of the side.
The Netherlands are back in action on Thursday night when they travel to face Greece.
Van Dijk will once again be expected to play a major role at the back as the Dutch look to build on their win over Serbia.
For Celtic supporters, though, the Instagram post is the eye-catching part.
There is something fitting about seeing Van Dijk and Xavi pictured as opponents at Celtic Park before eventually ending up on the same side years later.
Van Dijk’s Celtic spell was only the beginning of what became a remarkable career, and the image is another reminder of just how far he has come since those early Champions League nights in Glasgow.
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