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Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk seized the moment to confront a Dutch journalist over what he described as "completely baseless" accusations regarding his performances at the World Cup.
Following the Netherlands' disappointing round-of-32 elimination by Morocco, Van Dijk was accused by Valentijn Driessen of "betraying" the national side by allegedly pushing for a tactical formation change that ultimately backfired.
Driessen, who had previously labeled the defender an "overblown narcissist" with a "dubious reputation," was among the reporters present at Van Dijk's press conference ahead of the upcoming clash with Germany. Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool captain was in no mood for pleasantries.
"It's easy to look back and say: 'We should have done this differently' or 'We should have handled that differently,'" Van Dijk remarked.
"It was also claimed, of course, that switching to a back five was my idea. That is complete nonsense. The reality is we simply underperformed at the World Cup; those are the plain facts."
Driessen then suggested Van Dijk had responded to questions in a sharp, hostile manner. "I've never had any issue with the media," Van Dijk insisted, "but when false information is being put out there...
"We didn't have a good World Cup. It's not about me individually. You perform as a unit; you're a team. Your suggestion that I ruined Dutch football after the World Cup ... that kind of claim is completely baseless."
Van Dijk Ignores Plea to Retire From International Duty
As part of Driessen's criticism, he argued that Van Dijk's "time is up" with the national team and urged the Liverpool defender to hang up his international boots. Clearly, the 35-year-old paid no attention to that advice.
That said, Van Dijk acknowledged he didn't immediately dismiss the idea of stepping away. He sought a meeting with new head coach Xavi Hernández to discuss his future and swiftly concluded that his international career still had plenty left to offer.
"I needed a break with my family, then time to speak with Xavi," he said. "And after 10 seconds, it was clear I'd continue.
"What did he say? That I'm Virgil van Dijk!"
He continued: "Obviously it was a huge decision. I needed to feel the confidence and the combination of respect, joy, and everything I was looking for. That was evident from the very first moment, so the conversation didn't need to last long.
"But it was a great talk, so I'm really excited to link up for these four important matches. Let's make the next two years at least an incredible chapter."