Press conferenceVirgil van Dijk's title reaction: 'Soak it all in - we fulfilled a big dream'
Virgil van Dijk encouraged everyone connected with Liverpool to be proud and ‘soak it all in’ as he reacted to winning a second Premier League title.
The Reds were crowned as 2024-25’s champions on Sunday afternoon as a 5-1 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield ensured Arne Slot’s men cannot be caught at the top of the table.
A league winner with the club in 2019-20 too, captain Van Dijk has played every minute in the division for the team so far this term and will be tasked with hoisting aloft the trophy on May 25.
Amid the stirring celebratory scenes that followed the final whistle against Spurs, he attended a press conference to discuss his own emotions.
Read every word Van Dijk told reporters below…
On the emotions he feels to have won the league…
It has been an amazing Premier League season for us, very consistent, well-deserved winners. The reaction we showed after going 1-0 down today was outstanding. Obviously it was a very emotional game. The time goes very slow towards the end, by the way! But I’m glad we got the job done and now we – and I speak about obviously everyone who is Liverpool-connected – can enjoy and celebrate because that’s what you should do as well.
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On if there’s an extra joy this time because the 2019-20 title was won without fans in attendance…
Yeah, I think so. In my opinion, the hardest league in the world. If you have an opportunity to win it, [on] what was a glorious day in terms of the atmosphere, the weather, a good opponent – it was incredible to be part of. The manager touched on it already on the pitch, that we have got two titles in five years, so that’s a big achievement in my opinion.
On whether he could have predicted this when Jürgen Klopp announced his departure as manager in January 2024…
Well, around that time we were still challenging as well for the title. I had a lot of confidence in my team; we came short last year, that was pretty obvious. We were not good enough towards the end, we couldn’t find the consistency that we had been doing before that. But listen, to replace Jürgen is a big job and I think the manager did it in his own way together with his staff. He definitely deserves a lot of credit for that. I don’t think anyone – as has been said by so many from the outside world – would have thought we were going to be Premier League champions. But that’s football as well. We have to perform as players and that’s what we try to do. Try to be consistent, try to win games, find ways to win games – and that’s what we have done.
On how it will feel to lift the trophy as captain in May...
It will be amazing. Very emotional. Even today, it was an emotional day for me and my family. The whole week was quite slow, it took ages before matchday. I think every Liverpool fan around the world probably felt like that. And then obviously it’s matchday and then you see so many fans already in red outside, getting ready from early on. And you just want to get the job done. I’m very, very happy that we did and when the moment is there that I can lift the trophy in front of our beautiful supporters, I think I will be very emotional.
On whether there was one game in the season that made him think Liverpool could win the league…
Not really. Obviously I’ve been in title races and unfortunately I’ve lost a couple. I think the key only is to focus on yourself and that’s what we tried to do. We tried to win games ahead of us, look at ourselves. Obviously it’s quite difficult because there’s always so many noises around us, other teams doing this and that, and results going this way and that way. But you have to try to keep your eyes on your own team, your own performances. That’s the only way, in my opinion: consistency and to success. I’m glad we did because that’s still the most difficult thing in life, not only in football but in life: to be consistent. And if you have that consistency, just to keep it. I’m glad we did. Like I said, we have to be proud of ourselves and enjoy it all, soak it all in.
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Watch on YouTubeOn his view on why the Reds have been so consistent…
Winning games after game after game, that’s the key. It’s a whole team process, everyone has played a part. Obviously guys don’t always start the game but they come on and have impact. And not only the players, the staff obviously plays a big part. But the people that are around us at the AXA Training Centre, the training ground. The fans. Everyone has to play a part. I think from day one when we started the season it was pretty obvious and pretty clear we have a big goal on our hands, big dreams and that we want to fulfil it. I’m glad we did. We got the big one. Amazing.