Virgil van Dijk, the 35-year-old defender, has not yet decided his future in the Dutch national team. The Liverpool captain plans to speak with Xavi, the new coach of the national team, before defining whether he will continue to defend the country. The player has already played 96 matches for the Netherlands and is considering the possibility of playing in the 2028 Euro Cup, as revealed on August 31, 2026.
Xavi’s arrival marks a new phase for the Netherlands, who recently named the Spaniard as Ronald Koeman’s successor. For Van Dijk, this dialogue with the new commander will be fundamental in determining the continuity of his international trajectory.
Asked by British journalists about the chance of remaining in the national team with the aim of participating in Euro 2028, the defender commented: “It’s a good question. First I’ll have a meeting with the new coach. Let’s see.”
The defender stressed that his decision does not depend solely on his own desire to continue playing for the national team. Van Dijk is also seeking to understand how important he will be in Xavi’s plans and whether he will maintain a prominent position in the team.
“It all comes down to that conversation. Everyone wants to feel valued, loved and important,” he declared. “I feel like I’m still very valuable and important to the team.”
Van Dijk also indicated that he may continue representing the Netherlands for another two years if he realizes that the new coach intends to rely on his experience.
“If the coach thinks like that, we will have two more good years. If not, we will see. I will meet with him and then we will see what happens,” he added.
Xavi takes command of the Dutch national team
The change in leadership of the Dutch team occurred after the departure of Ronald Koeman, who left his position after the defeat to Morocco in the round of 16 of this year’s World Cup.
Xavi was chosen to take over the team and will face Germany, led by Jürgen Klopp, in the Nations League next month, as his first challenge.
The Dutch defender does not rule out selection due to his focus on clubs
Despite being at a more advanced stage of his career, Van Dijk stated that he does not feel the need to leave the national team to focus his efforts exclusively on club football.
“Not at all. Some players feel that, but not me. In everything we do, we want to feel respected, loved and valued for our work and the quality we offer. Let’s see if that continues to happen and then we’ll see what happens”, he explained.
The defender captained the Netherlands at two World Cups and also led the team at Euro 2024, when the team reached the semi-finals. If he decides to continue until Euro 2028, Van Dijk will be 37 during the competition, which adds a longevity factor to his decision.
