Virgil van Dijk always exudes calm as captain of Orange. Just because of his voice, his affable smile and intonation. A day before leaving for Doha, he talks about football calmly and thoughtfully when the controversial World Cup in Qatar comes up for discussion.
The position of internationals against the World Cup, that is what some of the followers are waiting for. Van Dijk, however: ‘I don’t think we should do anything. We’ll keep an eye out and see what’s going on. And we do our part. That can be done in different ways.’
The intention is for the Liverpool centre-back to wear the OneLove captain’s armband during matches, even if FIFA issues a ban. ‘Yes, yes, that’s the position. I wear that tie with pride.’ The players will meet migrant workers at training on Thursday. ‘That looks like a set-up, but yes, you have to organize things like this. We are in trouble from covid. And you have no idea how we speak them, but I’m curious about it. I look forward.’
Appalling conditions
The football players auction the shirts they wear during the World Cup, with the proceeds for the workers who, among other things, built the stadiums under appalling conditions. “Other actions will certainly follow. Any initiative is good, in this complex situation. If we can make a difference, we will. But it should not be forced and enforced. If something feels right to do, we won’t fail to do it. Everyone has been focused on club football, not political views, in recent months. We must realize that everything that happens to make improvements is good. We can also do something later, in two or three weeks. It should not be the case that we are all playing the World Cup together, and that it is quiet after the World Cup.’
It is striking in itself that FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar in suspicious circumstances in 2010, that politicians have since made all kinds of agreements with Qatar and that the business community has quietly earned millions, while players now have to take a stand. That’s just the reality. Football attracts the attention of the world. “We have to deal with that, unfortunately, although the final responsibility lies with FIFA.”
Many of the affected migrants come from Nepal, precisely the country in the Himalayas with which Van Dijk feels a bond. He and his wife have been ambassadors for the Ombir foundation for years, which cares about the fate of orphans. ‘I often do things behind the scenes. The foundation appealed to us. We help orphans in Nepal and have been able to set up an orphanage with our contribution.’
His first final tournament
He feels nice to do something in silence. He wouldn’t have talked about the foundation if he hadn’t been asked. ‘Something has to come from you. We have heard a lot about Qatar, read a lot, seen a lot.’ Only: the focus is on football. Special, he always calls the World Cup, only his first final tournament. On Monday, against Senegal, he will have his 50th international match. The previous World Cup, in 2014, came just too soon for him. He missed the last European Championship due to a knee injury. ‘A World Cup is very special. Play football against the best players in the world. And then I am also the captain of the Netherlands. I enjoy immensely. A dream comes true. The feeling you had as a little boy comes up again.’
He won almost everything: English title, Champions League, World Cup. In 2019, he finished second at the Ballon d’Or, just a few points behind Lionel Messi. On Monday, before the only training in the Netherlands, he briefly addresses hundreds of spectators, in an almost funfair-like atmosphere. A disc jockey accompanies the emergence of the players, who run through a gate one by one, while plumes of smoke shoot out of a device. There are spots in the trees. The women’s team, on training camp for next year’s World Cup, is watching.
Van Dijk: ‘We come together with one mission.’ That is the title, as Van Gaal said. After gathering in Zeist, they listened to a speech by national coach Louis van Gaal. Memphis Depay has already told him that his recovery from an injury is going well, and Denzel Dumfries’ injury sustained on Sunday is also not too bad. ‘I texted him immediately after the game. It can be quite a special tournament.’