The Netherlands are set to face Germany in a Nations League match. Ahead of the game, captain Van Dijk was interviewed by Dutch media, reflecting on the crucial break he took following elimination from the World Cup. He admitted that the exhaustion from the past 14 months stemmed not only from a demanding schedule but also from psychological fatigue.

Virgil, how are you? All good?

Yes, very good.

Are you eager?

Of course.

With a new national team coach, is this like the start of a new school year, a fresh beginning?

Yes, definitely. The entire coaching staff is new, so it really is a fresh start.

In what ways do you feel that?

We communicate in English. The new coach was a world-class player, and everyone has great respect for him. We're all looking forward to what comes next.

Looking back a few months to the World Cup, how was your break afterwards? How did you spend it?

I had a very good break.

Were you able to leave everything behind during the break? Not have to think about the team's elimination and that sort of thing?

Of course, I still thought about it—that's normal. But I had a very good break.

I ask because you've had such a long career with the national team. You've had tremendous success, and the team went far in that tournament. Being eliminated has a huge impact on an athlete, and probably on a person too. So I'm curious—after the team was eliminated, how did you process it all? After all, millions of people were watching; it wasn't a small thing.

Certainly it wasn't a small thing. But I've been living this life for many years. Fortunately, as I just said, I had a very good break. It was also a well-deserved rest. I spent time with family and friends and really enjoyed it.

Naturally, the next question everyone will ask is: Will Virgil continue playing for the Netherlands? Were you certain from the start that you wanted to continue, or did you have any doubts?

I really needed that break to recover from everything I'd been through. The subsequent meeting with the national team coach was also very important to me. I wanted to know what he was thinking, and almost immediately after the meeting, I understood his vision.

He wants you to stay.

Yes.

That's good. Did you feel at that point that you could enjoy at least another two years here?

Yes.

No doubts about that?

Look, you have to consider all the aspects. Of course, if the team as a whole can perform well, that's important, because it's not just about me; it takes effort from everyone. Also, as you mentioned at the beginning, with the new national team coach, we're starting a new cycle. But beyond that, other aspects are equally important. You always want to play somewhere that values you and where you can be happy. I'm really looking forward to at least another two years here.

So I don't want to jump to conclusions for you, but have you rediscovered your passion? Or how would you describe your current feelings?

It's not like that. I really needed that break after that difficult period. But it wasn't just the matches. The matches, of course, have a big physical impact. More importantly, there's the psychological impact and everything we went through—and I'm not just talking about me personally, but the entire team. We've had wins and losses, and on top of that, we've had other things happening at the club.

Right, I understand. You experienced something extremely difficult up close at the club. Now, with the national team, you're dealing with the death of the former coach's wife. I know you're experienced, but as a team leader, you also need to look after other players. Does that make you feel exceptionally burdened?

Burdened... Look, I don't want people to feel sorry for me, but I understand what you mean.

No, I didn't mean it that way at all.

That said, I certainly feel that responsibility. No matter what happens, that won't change, and it's something I have to carry. I also don't want to keep dwelling on the past—what happened last year or those other things. I prefer to look forward, and the coach feels the same way.

Speaking of looking forward, tomorrow will be a completely different situation. What should we expect?

What's the English term? I think it's "work in progress"—we're still getting to know each other. It takes time, and we've been working hard. We trained twice yesterday. On the first day, we already did some tactical work and had several meetings. We'll continue to have meetings tonight, and the training intensity will also pick up a bit later. In short, we'll give our best.

Traduzido por IA.

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