When Virgil van Dijk arrived at Celtic as a relatively unknown figure under Neil Lennon back in 2013, it didn’t take long for the FC Groningen star to leave all of those around him completely wowed.
The towering Dutchman spent two hugely successful, trophy-laden years at Celtic Park before moving to the riches of the English Premier League, eventually establishing himself as the best centre-back in world football.
Given van Dijk’s monumental rise, it is no surprise that his time in Glasgow remains a major talking point, even with rival supporters.
Recently, Ally McCoist reflected on the Liverpool captain’s sheer dominance in Scottish football, suggesting he was simply a class above the opposition.
“I have my own theory on van Dijk, particularly at Celtic,” McCoist stated. “Watching him, and you will know exactly what I mean, I actually think at times it looked too easy for him.”
One man who knows van Dijk better than anyone else is former Hoops star Charlie Mulgrew, who played alongside him, and was quick to offer a brilliant, sharp and comedic response to McCoist’s ‘easy’ claim, as he joked: “I think van Dijk learned a lot from me.”
Nobody comes close to Virgil van Dijk in the 21st century…
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Virgil van Dijk in action for Celtc during a Champions League play-off against Malmo
Credit: Getty Images/Steve Welsh
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Ally McCoist and Charlie Mulgrew laud Celtic hero Virgil van Dijk
Even now, at the age of 34, van Dijk continues to deliver on the biggest stages.
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On Sunday, as Celtic were booking their Scottish Cup final ticket, van Dijk scored a 100th-minute winner as Liverpool beat Merseyside rivals Everton at their new stadium.
Nonetheless, adding to the praise of van Dijk, Mulgrew told talkSPORT that the ball-playing defender was like a ‘FIFA’ player because he could do everything.
Winning two Premier League titles and a European Cup, the Celtic supporters won’t be surprised by what their former player has achieved on the biggest of stages.
But even when you are getting rival pundits like McCoist lauding van Dijk, then you know he was something special, as Mulgrew shared an insight into the player from a dressing room perspective.
McCoist: “We are going to discuss players you played with, van Dijk. You know him a lot better than I did.
“But I have my own theory on van Dijk, particularly at Celtic. Watching him, and you will know exactly what I mean, I actually think at times it looked too easy for him.”
Mulgrew: “I think van Dijk learned a lot from me.”
McCoist and Dean Saunders proceeded to laugh out loud.
And Mulgrew then adds: “He does a lot of radio stuff in Holland, and he talks a lot about me.
“But anyway, we will talk about him now. Van Dijk is a Rolls-Royce, everybody knows that. Having played with him, you wouldn’t have played FIFA, but people who have played FIFA.”
McCoist: “What are you on about? I was the voice of FIFA.”
Mulgrew: “Young lads will know. When you make your own player, you can make him whatever you like. If you make him all 99s. That’s what van Dijk was like.
“The quickest, strongest, best in the air, best at free kicks, best dribbler, best technician, best long passer. You thought, ‘What’s the catch?’ There was none.”
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