Virgil van Dijk: Height, Age, Wife, Position, Net Worth

Few defenders in world football combine physical dominance with reading the game the way Virgil van Dijk does. The 6’5” Dutch centre-back has become the anchor of Liverpool’s back line and, since 2023, the captain of both club and country.

Height: 6’5″ (1.96 m) ·
Weight: 203 lbs (92 kg) ·
Age: 34 ·
Nationality: Netherlands ·
Position: Centre-back ·
Current Club: Liverpool

Eleven key biographical and career data points form the backbone of any Van Dijk profile. The pattern: most details are firmly documented by official club and league sources, while financial specifics remain guarded.

How tall is Virgil van Dijk?

What is Virgil van Dijk’s weight?

• Height: 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) (Premier League (official league stats))
• Weight: 203 lbs (92 kg) (Premier League)
• Preferred foot: Right (Transfermarkt (football market database))

Van Dijk’s height puts him in the 99th percentile among Premier League centre-backs. At 1.96 m, he outjumps most attackers and covers ground with long strides that make his acceleration deceptive. His weight of 92 kg is lean for his frame, allowing him to combine aerial dominance with agility in tight spaces.

The implication: his physical profile is a genuine competitive edge – few defenders can match his reach, speed over 5 metres, and ability to shield the ball while carrying it forward.

What is Virgil van Dijk’s nationality and age?

How old is Virgil van Dijk?

• Date of birth: July 8, 1991 (Liverpool FC (official club site))
• Age: 34 as of 2025 (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
• Nationality: Dutch (Liverpool FC)
• Place of birth: Breda, Netherlands (Liverpool FC)

Now 34, Van Dijk is in the later phase of a typical professional career, but his game relies less on explosive speed than on positioning and reading play – skills that age well. He was born in Breda, a city in the south of the Netherlands, and began his youth career at local club WDS’19 before moving to Willem II and later Groningen (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

What this means: at 34, Van Dijk is still playing every minute of every match for Liverpool and the Netherlands, defying the typical decline curve for centre-backs.

Who is Virgil van Dijk’s wife and family?

Does Virgil van Dijk have children?

• Married to Rike Nooitgedagt (The Guardian (quality journalism))
• The couple have a daughter and a son (BBC Sport (public broadcaster))
• Family resides in Liverpool (The Guardian)

Van Dijk married Rike Nooitgedagt, his long-term partner, in 2017. The couple keep their children out of the public eye, though Van Dijk has spoken about the grounding effect of family life. In interviews, he has described fatherhood as shifting his perspective on pressure and performance.

Why this matters: Van Dijk’s stable family setup is widely cited by teammates as a factor in his consistent form – a home life that buffers the intensity of captaincy at a club like Liverpool.

What position does Virgil van Dijk play and his World Cup appearances?

What is Virgil van Dijk’s role at Liverpool?

• Primary position: Centre-back (Liverpool FC)
• Captain of Liverpool (since July 2023) (Liverpool FC)
• Captain of Netherlands national team (UEFA (football governing body))
• Jersey number: 4 (Liverpool FC)

Has Virgil van Dijk played in a World Cup?

• Participated in 2018 FIFA World Cup (Russia) (FIFA (world football governing body))
• Participated in 2022 FIFA World Cup (Qatar) (FIFA)
• Best result: Quarter-finals (2018, 2022) (FIFA)

Van Dijk has played every minute of both World Cup campaigns for the Netherlands, forming the core of a defence that conceded only two goals in the 2018 knockout phase before bowing out to Argentina on penalties. In 2022, the Dutch again reached the quarter-finals, losing to the same opponent in a dramatic shootout.

The catch: despite his individual dominance at club level, Van Dijk has not yet led the Netherlands to a World Cup semi-final – a gap that motivates his continued international captaincy through the 2026 cycle.

What are Virgil van Dijk’s career achievements and current market value?

What trophies has Virgil van Dijk won?

• UEFA Champions League (2019) (Liverpool FC)
• Premier League (2019-20, 2024-25) (Premier League)
• FA Cup (2022) (Liverpool FC)
• Carabao Cup (2022, 2024) (Liverpool FC)
• FIFA Club World Cup (2019) (Liverpool FC)
• UEFA Super Cup (2019) (Liverpool FC)
• FA Community Shield (2022) (Liverpool FC)

What is Virgil van Dijk’s market value?

• Market value: €15 million (Transfermarkt)
• Peak value estimated at €75-80 million (circa 2019) (Transfermarkt)
• UEFA Men’s Player of the Year (2019) (UEFA)

Van Dijk’s trophy collection is among the most complete of any active defender. He won both the Champions League and Premier League within 14 months, and in 2019 became the first defender since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 to win UEFA Men’s Player of the Year. His current market value of €15 million reflects his age (34) and contract length, not his performance level.

The pattern: Van Dijk’s career arc is defined by the world-record transfer fee that initially raised expectations and then his ability to exceed them. For a player who cost £75 million, he has delivered two Premier League titles, a Champions League, and a permanent place in the conversation about the Premier League’s greatest defenders.

Quotes from Virgil van Dijk

“As captain, all I ever wanted was to make this country proud.”

— Virgil van Dijk, reflecting on Netherlands’ 2022 World Cup exit, via Instagram (BBC Sport)

“I’ve had a fantastic time at Liverpool and I’m delighted to extend my stay. This club feels like home.”

— Virgil van Dijk, after signing contract extension in April 2025 (ESPN)

For Liverpool supporters and Dutch football fans, Van Dijk’s leadership is now the central story. The choice is clear: enjoy one of the most complete defenders of a generation while he remains at the peak of his powers, or wait until the inevitable decline forces a conversation about successors. The data says he’s still the first name on the teamsheet.

Related reading: Liverpool FC · Premier League

For a more comprehensive look at his life and career, check out the full biography of Virgil van Dijk.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Liverpool FC · Premier League