Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is giving back to former club Willem II after announcing the news on his Instagram
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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has announced that he is partnering up with Willem II to bring back the international youth tournament in September.
Van Dijk joined Willem in 1999, aged eight, and progressed through the youth system at the Tilburg-based outfit. However, Van Dijk left Willem to join Groningen in 2010 after the club's reserve manager prevented him from breaking into the first-team because he had "too many limitations".
Willem therefore didn't want to offer Van Dijk and he joined their Dutch rivals Groningen. Since that move, Van Dijk has not looked back, going on to have a very successful career at the elite level. He enjoyed time at Celtic and Southampton before his £75million transfer to Liverpool in January 2018.
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Although Van Dijk endured a difficult end to his time at Willem, he is revisiting his former club and giving back to them following over a decade in the club's academy.
In a statement on Instagram, Van Dijk said: "I'm proud to announce that along with Willem II, we're bringing back the international youth tournament this September.
"The world's biggest clubs will arrive in Tilburg and play in the first 'Virgil's Legacy Trophy' U13s tournament. I feel strongly about inspiring others & want to give the next generation of players a proper platform to perform. The best pitches, facilities & officials."
Van Dijk has become a legendary figure during his seven years at Liverpool. He helped the Reds to the Champions League final within his first six months on Merseyside, and although they ended up losing to Real Madrid on the night, they won the competition a year later by beating Tottenham in Madrid.
It was a similar pattern when it came to the Premier League, as after coming second in the 2018/19 season, Liverpool won the top flight 12 months later during the Covid-hit 2019/20 campaign. As well as those two major honours, Van Dijk has also lifted the Carabao Cup twice and the FA Cup at Anfield.
The 33-year-old is in line to lift his second Premier League title with Liverpool - who sit 15 points clear at the top with 10 matches to go - this season, and he could end the season with two more trophies.
Liverpool take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and have a realistic chance of winning the Champions League before the end of the campaign. Arne Slot's side face Paris Saint-Germain, defending a 1-0 lead, in the second leg of their round of 16 tie on Tuesday evening.
While Van Dijk has been doing the talking on the pitch, there has been a lot of speculation over his own future. The Netherlands ace is out of contract in the summer and there is some concern that he could leave the Reds.