1: 1. Van Dijk's impressive height of 6 ft 4 in gives him a big advantage in defending.

2: 2. The Dutch defender won the PFA Player of the Year award in 2019.

3: 3. Van Dijk was the most expensive defender in the world when he signed for Liverpool in 2018.

4: 4. He was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year in 2019, the first defender to win it.

5: 5. Van Dijk suffered a serious knee injury in 2020 that required surgery and sidelined him for months.

6: 6. He started his career at Groningen before moving to Celtic and then Southampton.

7: 7. Van Dijk has been praised for his leadership qualities on and off the field.

8: 8. His calm and composed playing style has earned him the nickname "The Rolls-Royce of Defenders".

9: 9. Van Dijk played a key role in Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League successes.