Virgil van Dijk injury explained as Liverpool captain pulls out of Netherlands squad

By Ben Sully | 10 Nov 2026 01:14, Last updated: 10 Nov 2026 01:14

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has been ruled out of the Netherlands' upcoming Nations League games due to injury.

Van Dijk was named in Xavi's squad for the final two matches of the league phase, with the Oranje battling Greece and Germany for a top-two finish in Group A2.

The Netherlands will face Greece in Amsterdam on Friday before they head to Berlin for Monday's meeting with Germany.

However, they will go into those two games without Van Dijk, who has withdrawn from the squad along with Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey.

Van Dijk withdraws from Netherlands duty

In a statement released on Monday, the Dutch football association said: "Virgil van Dijk and Brian Brobbey aren’t fit enough to feature in the upcoming Nations League matches. No replacements will be called up."

Van Dijk's withdrawal came just a day after he played the full duration of Liverpool's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

According to journalist James Pearce, the Liverpool skipper has been playing with a minor injury problem in recent weeks.

While the nature of the issue has not been disclosed, the decision to withdraw from the squad has evidently been taken to avoid aggravating the problem.

Van Dijk set to enjoy valuable rest ahead of high-profile Premier League games

Liverpool fans will likely be pleased with the news of Van Dijk's withdrawl, given that he will now get the chance to rest and recuperate over the next two weeks.

Despite being 35, Van Dijk's importance to Liverpool has shown no signs of waning under Andoni Iraola this term.

The Dutchman has played over 1,200 minutes, having started 14 of his 15 appearances in all competitions.

Liverpool will want Van Dijk raring to go for a tricky run of fixtures that will see the Reds face Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea in the space of four Premier League games after the international break.