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Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk wore the captain's armband for the 200th time as the Reds cruised to victory over LASK on Wednesday.
The Dutchman, who was named club captain in July 2023, joined an elite group of just seven other Reds to achieve the remarkable milestone. Van Dijk now holds the eighth-highest total of games as Liverpool captain in the club's history.
Unsurprisingly, Steven Gerrard tops the list; it's difficult to imagine another player coming close to his 470 games as captain anytime soon, particularly now that the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konaté have all departed Merseyside.
Rank | Player | Total Games as Captain |
|---|---|---|
1. | Steven Gerrard | 470 |
2. | Ron Yeats | 417 |
3. | Emlyn Hughes | 335 |
4. | Donald McKinlay | 293 |
5. | Jordan Henderson | 268 |
6. | Alex Raisbeck | 267 |
7. | Sami Hyypia | 204 |
8. | Virgil van Dijk | 200 |
Ron Yeats is the only other player to have captained the side in more than 400 games. Emlyn Hughes ranks third with 335 appearances, followed by Donald McKinlay, Jordan Henderson, Alex Raisbeck and Sami Hyypia.
Van Dijk will inevitably surpass Hyypia in the weeks ahead; the center back requires just five more outings to claim seventh place outright.
Whether he gets the opportunity to climb further up the rankings remains to be seen. Van Dijk's contract at Liverpool runs out at the end of the season, and he has yet to sign an extension. Recent reports suggest the Reds have no plans to offer the 35-year-old a new deal, a position that may have been reinforced following his display against LASK.
Van Dijk's Momentous Night Sullied
Reaching 200 appearances as club captain should have been a cause for celebration for Van Dijk. After all, Andoni Iraola's side romped to a commanding 6–3 victory over LASK to keep their early league phase record spotless this season.
Bradley Barcola claimed a hat-trick, Florian Wirtz delivered a redemptive showing and even youngster Lewis Koumas chipped in with a goal and an assist. Yet Van Dijk endured another evening to forget.
The Dutchman began the match on the bench, getting some well-earned rest before replacing Jérémy Jacquet in the 62nd minute. By the 77th minute, LASK had pulled three goals back.
It would be unfair to lay all the blame squarely at Van Dijk's feet; Liverpool appeared largely disinterested in defending once they had built such a commanding advantage. However, sluggish retreats, careless positioning and a lack of awareness cast an unwanted spotlight on the Liverpool skipper.
The Reds have now shipped six goals across their last two fixtures and have managed only three clean sheets in 2026–27. If the club hopes to lift silverware in Iraola's first season in charge, it will need far, far more from its captain.