Many of the times we see players not getting along wuth the referee but Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk showed his soft side as he comforted a referee who recently lost their mother. Van Dijk scored a late volley to give Holland a 2-2 draw against Germany and send Ronald Koeman’s side into the Nations League finals.
Immediately after the final whistle, Van Dijk noticed that referee Ovidiu Hategan seemed emotional – at which point the Dutchman consoled him.
The Romanian official told Van Dijk that he had lost his mother recently after the centre-back asked him what was wrong.
“That man broke, stood with tears in his eyes because he had just lost his mother,” Van Dijk said, in quotes published by Voetbal International.
“I wished him strength and said that he had refereed well. It might be something small, but I hope it helped.”
Referee Ovidiu Hategan recently lost his mother. Right after the FT whistle Virgil van Dijk went towards him to comfort him, while crying. This is beautiful.
— AFC Ajax ? (@TheEuropeanLad) November 19, 2018
Van Dijk’s goal means that Holland join England, Portugal and Switzerland in the Nations League finals, which will be held in Portugal in June.
? Virgil van Dijk’s goal in injury time vs Germany to qualify Netherlands for the Nations League final four ? #GERNED #LFC pic.twitter.com/LRVfu4lcGf
— LFC Globe (@LFCGlobeUK) November 19, 2018