Virgil Van Dijk propelled his already iconic status to new levels on Monday night after he scored the goal that cannoned Holland into the Nations League finals, as the country secured the fourth and final semi-final spot.
Ronald Koeman’s men were trailing rivals Germany 2-0 with five minutes left on the clock, only for the visitors to conjure up a dramatic comeback, firstly through Quincy Promes in the 85th minute, then Van Dijk in injury-time.
The dramatic draw meant that the Netherlands bagged top spot in Group A1, at the expense of world champions France, as they joined Portugal, England, and Switzerland in the inaugural Nations League finals, which takes place in Portugal next summer.
Van Dijk has been widely praised for the part he played in recording the priceless point, but it was the Oranje captain’s actions after the final whistle that showed what a true hero and gentleman he is.
The 27-year-old was shown embracing referee Ovidiu Hațegan who had tears in his eyes because he had recently lost his mother.
When asked about the touching sentiment, Van Dijk said:
“That man broke down, stood with tears in his eyes because he had just lost his mother.”
“I wished him strength and said that he had blown well. It’s a small thing, but maybe it helps him.”
Van Dijk and his troops will now await the semi-final draw which takes place on Monday 3rd December, where they will discover who they must overcome in order to book their place in the grand final.
Despite being a supremely talented footballer, it does seem that Van Dijk is also a supremely gifted human being!