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Jamie Carragher recently shared the surprising story of his first impressions of Virgil van Dijk before his rise to Liverpool greatness.

When fans and pundits talk about Virgil van Dijk today, they usually talk about dominance, composure, and leadership.

He is seen as one of Liverpool’s greatest defenders, helping the Reds win everything under Jurgen Klopp.

But there was a time when not everyone was convinced.

Even some of Liverpool’s biggest legends had their doubts.

It is easy now to say Van Dijk was always destined for greatness.

Yet, like many young defenders coming through lesser-known leagues, he still had a lot to prove.

It is not unusual for scouts and pundits to misjudge players early in their careers.

Sometimes, a player’s playing style or body language can throw people off.

Especially when a defender looks so effortless on the ball, it can be mistaken for a lack of intensity.

Jamie Carragher has now admitted he was one of those who did not quite get the hype around Van Dijk during his early days at Celtic.

Looking back, it is a reminder that first impressions can be wrong, even for those who know the game inside out.

What did Jamie Carragher say about Virgil van Dijk?

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Carragher gave an honest confession about his first time watching Virgil van Dijk play.

“I remember going to a game, Celtic v Ajax in the Champions League in 2013/14,” Carragher said.

“I didn’t really know too much about Van Dijk.

And I think Steve Bruce might have been manager of Hull or someone near them.”

“And there was a few people watching Van Dijk, and I watched him in the game.

I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Oh, they should have signed him’.”

“He almost looked too big, at that time?

Do you know what I mean?”

Carragher continued, “So, you’re thinking, ‘Can he move?

Because he almost played that cool and that sort of slow motion.”

“And teams were watching him, and obviously just didn’t want to take a chance.”

At that time, Van Dijk had a few patchy moments in Europe with Celtic, but it was clear he had all the tools to become a top-level player.

Liverpool eventually made him the most expensive defender in the world when they signed him from Southampton.

Since then, he has become a legend at Anfield, and now stands on the verge of winning his second Premier League title.

It’s fair to say Carragher, like the rest of us, has long since changed his mind.

Read more: When will Liverpool lift English Premier League trophy?

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