The Liverpool captain trusts a health and fitness device to help manage his busy football schedule
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Liverpool, England.
Virgil van Dijk's last-minute winner secured all three points in the Merseyside Derby.
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Paris Saint-Germain players are set to receive a performance boost ahead of the UEFA Champions League semi-final thanks to a brand trusted by Virgil van Dijk. Following their quarter-final clash with Liverpool earlier this month, the French club announced a partnership with health and fitness wearable brand WHOOP that will provide advanced performance science to its men's and women's teams.
Running until 2029, the agreement will place PSG at the cutting edge of sports innovation by enabling their players and staff to make informed decisions on health and wellbeing based on scientific data. WHOOP's wearables rival brands like Google Fitbit and Samsung Galaxy, offering a range of health and fitness insights through its screen-free device and membership programme.
The gadget is already worn by footballers and athletes including Cristiano Ronaldo, Rory McIlroy and van Dijk. The Liverpool captain spoke to WHOOP about managing his time around the jam-packed football schedule of training and matches and said it's is 'so beneficial' for ensuring he's 'doing the right stuff'.
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"You're playing a game every three days so you're doing everything possible in order to be ready," he said. "If you're getting that extra information, in this case from WHOOP, it's just so beneficial. I'm addicted to looking at it in the morning and making sure I'm doing the right stuff."
WHOOP offers 24/7 intelligent guidance across sleep, recovery, strain, fitness, and longevity, such as blood pressure and Advanced Labs blood biomarker analysis. According to WHOOP research, people who wear the device daily log more than 90 additional minutes of exercise each week, reports the Express.
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Users are also reported to gain more than two extra hours of sleep and experience 10% higher heart rate variability. WHOOP is currently offering a one-month free trial of the device alongside its Peak membership plan, giving consumers the chance to use the same technology worn by elite athletes.
However, users should be aware that WHOOP operates without a screen and is not intended for functions such as texting or social media. These features are available alongside health and fitness metrics on rival devices such as the latest Apple Watch Series 11.
WHOOP's partnership announcement comes as PSG gear up for their Champions League semi-final against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. The European title holders knocked Liverpool out of the competition in the quarter-final and will now host the German side at the Parc des Princes on April 28.
Person wearing a WHOOP fitness watch
The WHOOP wearable is available to try free for one month.(Image: WHOOP)
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The agreement will provide PSG players with access to WHOOP's cutting-edge wearable technology, delivering health insights into key physiological metrics including heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, strain and stress. These insights will be translated into personalised recommendations aimed at optimising training, recovery and overall performance during their pivotal end-of-season fixtures.
PSG and WHOOP have joined forces with the mutual ambition of redefining the standards of elite sport by placing athlete health at the heart of performance decisions. By merging WHOOP's technological expertise with PSG's sporting excellence, the partnership seeks to further advance approaches to physical preparation.
Announcing the collaboration, Brian Curtin, WHOOP's VP of Global Marketing, said: "Paris Saint-Germain is one of the most influential brands in the world - not just in sport, but across global culture. Partnering with PSG puts WHOOP at the center of that influence, reaching new audiences while aligning with a club that sets the standard for excellence.
"Together, we are redefining performance - giving athletes and fans the tools to understand their bodies, train smarter, recover better, and perform at their absolute peak."
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Liverpool, England.
van Dijk says WHOOP is 'just so beneficial'.(Image: Getty)
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WHOOP has garnered thousands of glowing reviews on Trustpilot, where customers have praised it as 'an essential part' of their daily lives.
"I've been using WHOOP for the past three years and it has become an essential part of my daily life," one five-star review says. "I can't imagine living without it. It provides valuable statistical insights that help me maintain balance, from managing stress and exercise to understanding my sleep patterns. WHOOP highlights unhealthy habits and continuously monitors my vital metrics, supporting more informed and healthier lifestyle choices."
Another reads: "I've used Whoop for years and, while a bit expensive, have appreciated the consistency and free device upgrades." However, despite their five-star rating, the same WHOOP user added: "Support has been a bit frustrating lately as AI chat bots seem to have taken over, but I haven't needed support very often."
Meanwhile, another enthusiastic reviewer shared: "WHOOP has helped me optimize my health and fitness, it's a great tool to reach fitness goals and provides so much valuable insight from all the personal data it tracks. I've seen how it's evolved over the years, and you can really tell the company and the individuals running it care about enhancing the experience with the consumer in mind. I love my WHOOP and recommend it to everyone looking to feel their very best."