Rafael van der Vaart backtracks on Virgil van Dijk criticism after being slammed by Jurgen Klopp
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Rafael van der Vaart has backtracked on his Virgil van Dijk criticism which prompted a fiery response from Jurgen Klopp at the World Cup 2026Virgil van Dijk found himself in the firing line(Image: Getty Images)Rafael van der Vaart has walked back his criticism of Virgil van Dijk that infuriated Jurgen Klopp at the weekend's World Cup fixture.Van der Vaart, providing analysis for Dutch broadcaster NOS, likened the Liverpool and Netherlands skipper to a Boeing 747 ahead of Ronald Koeman's side's emphatic 5-1 victory over Sweden on Saturday in Houston, Texas.Those remarks prompted Klopp, who brought Van Dijk to Anfield from Southampton in 2018 and watched him become one of the most respected centre-backs in the club's history, to spring to his former captain's defence during his own stint on German television. Klopp told Magenta: "If [Van der Vaart] ever says something positive about a player, I'm willing to take him seriously again."Now, writing in his AceOdds.com column, Van der Vaart appears to have softened his position, maintaining that the 34-year-old remains among the finest defenders in the game, reports the Liverpool Echo."Van Dijk is still our leader," Van der Vaart said.
Compare Van Dijk with other centre backs, and it's clear that even at a so-so season, he is still elite. He is still our best defender.
Without a doubt."He has been unfairly criticised by some in the Netherlands, but he is still our captain and our leader. I hope he will run a little faster during the tournament."Klopp, who was present in Houston for the Dutch match, fired back during his own World Cup duties on Saturday evening: "I don't know if it's worth naming Rafael van der Vaart at all."But if he ever says something positive about a player, I'm willing to take him seriously again."You have the feeling that he sees something, which then has to be expressed in a flowery way and then he goes against it.