Virgil van Dijk is just one game away from another incredible milestone.
The evergreen centre-half will mark two and a half years of continued availability for Liverpool by the middle of March and, if he starts against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night, he will have played 99 of the last 100 Premier League outings.
The lone blemish came in the penultimate fixture of the 2024-25 title-winning season when head coach Arne Slot rotated his side to give fringe players a rare outing. Van Dijk was an unused substitute in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion and would have relished the chance to keep his run of consecutive appearances going, yet that solitary omission does little to diminish the broader picture.
The Liverpool captain’s ability to avoid injury, suspension or any dip in form severe enough to cost him his place over almost 100 games is extraordinary.
To sustain that level of consistency between the ages of 32 and 34 only adds to the achievement. He may not have been at his very best this season, but Van Dijk has continued to roll himself out week after week, leading by example during difficult times.
Virgil van Dijk has consistently been available for Liverpool over the past few years (Paul Ellis/ AFP via Getty Images)
The relentless pace and physical toll of the modern Premier League, compounded by domestic cups, European competition and international duty, make such longevity even more impressive.
The only other outfield player in the division with a similar record is Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, who is eight years younger than Van Dijk. The left-back has started 123 of the last 125 games and 86 of the last 87, with the blot on his card arriving late last season when manager Oliver Glasner rested key players after Palace won the FA Cup.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, 23, has played 65 of the last 66 Premier League games and missed one outing through suspension after picking up five bookings, which shows the level of dedication and discipline needed to avoid missing games. Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic, 28, is also on a run of 64 consecutive appearances but has some way to go before catching up with Liverpool’s leader.
The high standards Van Dijk has set throughout his time at Liverpool make such an achievement feel like the norm. He has won every major trophy with Liverpool, as well as a stack of personal honours, and finished second to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
His goal in the 5-2 win over West Ham United on Saturday makes him the second-highest scoring defender (excluding penalties) in Premier League history behind John Terry. But his appearance record deserves equal recognition.
Virgil van Dijk rises to head in Liverpool’s second goal (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
The Athletic spoke to a handful of medical experts working within football, all granted anonymity to protect relationships, to understand just how impressive this is. They were unanimous that it was a superhuman effort.
“Credit has to be given to the coaching and performance methodology used to help with the recovery process, but mainly to the player for his compliance to those markers as well,” one head of medical said.
A physio with decades of experience added: “To stay fit for a season is a challenge in modern football, but to be available for 100 Premier League games in a row is almost unheard of these days. The demands of the game have changed and there are fewer days off and less time to recover, but Virgil makes sure he’s on top of everything so he has the best chance to continue playing for as long as possible.”
Van Dijk’s attitude to staying in peak condition is second to none. He has built a support team around him, including a chef and physiotherapist, and has facilities at home to enhance rest and recovery.
Alongside Mohamed Salah — who also hasn’t missed a game through injury for two years, but has been dropped from the side and missed games because of international duty — he sets the standard for younger players at Liverpool.
Ryan Gravenberch credited Van Dijk’s advice about diet and recovery as key to transforming his fortunes at the club. Academy players have seen the extra work that the Dutchman puts in away from the training pitch and have taken note. Even some of Liverpool’s summer signings, many of whom were previously working in an elite environment, have upped their game after learning more about his daily routine.
There is an element of luck involved when it comes to avoiding injuries. One mistimed tackle, awkward fall or excessive challenge can damage a career. Van Dijk has experienced setbacks, but he has prepared himself as well as he can to stay away from further trouble — even if, ultimately, he is not in full control.
Virgil van Dijk has inspired his team-mates at Liverpool (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Staying disciplined is another factor.
It would be easy for him to pick up five bookings across half a season and earn a suspension, but he has avoided that, too. The last games he missed were at the start of the 2023-24 season through suspension after a red card, but, aside from that, there have been no bans to endure.
This season, Liverpool have suffered injuries, especially across the back line, but Van Dijk has remained a constant. The club use cutting-edge software to provide insights into the physical state of players, and staff in the performance and medical team monitor each individual closely to look for signs of tiredness.
Blood data is also used to help make decisions on a player’s physical state and can determine how hard an individual is pushed in training.
Slot has managed some of his overworked players more carefully than others, including Van Dijk, who not only starts every Premier League and Champions League game, but also plays every minute. At the end of January, Slot said: “We’re nearly seven months in and Virgil hasn’t had more than three days off. It’s the same for Ryan (Gravenberch) and the others.
“They constantly show up and they constantly show mentality no matter how many games we have.”
There was a point in Van Dijk’s career where he was not only the best defender on the planet but arguably also the greatest player. Only a handful of journalists’ votes stopped him cementing that by awarding the Ballon d’Or.
Winning that particular award in the future is now unlikely, but it’s the other, lower-profile achievements that will continue to shape his legacy at Anfield in the years to come.
