Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk celebrated reaching a century of international appearances with a 2-1 victory over Serbia at the Philips Stadion, receiving a commemorative gold dish, a cap, and a watch from the KNVB alongside a special gesture from former club teammate Dusan Tadic, VoetbalPrimeur reported.
Milestone Celebration in Eindhoven
The Oranje captain reached his century of caps during the home fixture in Eindhoven, where formal pre-match and post-match presentations celebrated his decade-long international career. KNVB president Marianne van Leeuwen addressed the squad and honored the defender on the pitch before celebrations continued inside the locker room.
“I’ve had gifts. A golden plate, a cap, and a watch. Yes, I am very happy with that. The central defender addressed his teammates and coaching staff during the post-match gatherings, thanking current colleagues as well as former international squad members who shared his path with the national team.”
Former Teammate Dusan Tadic Presents Custom Gift
Following the final whistle, former Serbia international Dusan Tadic presented Van Dijk with a custom Serbia shirt featuring the defender’s name and the number 100. The pair posed for photographs together on the pitch to commemorate the milestone.
Van Dijk and Tadic share a long professional history, having first played together at FC Groningen between 2011 and 2012. The two crossed paths again years later in the English Premier League with Southampton, where Tadic played from 2014 to 2018 and Van Dijk featured from 2015 to 2017 before completing a transfer to Liverpool.
Reflecting on a Decade in the Oranje Shirt
Reaching the 100-cap threshold places him alongside an elite group of Dutch football legends.
He is the eleventh player in history to surpass 100 appearances for the Netherlands, joining a prestigious list that includes Edwin van der Sar, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Frank de Boer, Rafael van der Vaart, Phillip Cocu, Wesley Sneijder, Danny Blind, Memphis Depay, Robin van Persie, and Dirk Kuyt.
“As a little boy I always watched Oranje. Then I hoped to wear the Oranjeshirt someday. “I never look too far ahead. That may also be a reason for the success in my career. Only in recent years did it start to live with me that I could reach a hundred. And here I am now.”
Future Plans for the National Team Captain
Despite reaching the century mark, Van Dijk confirmed that his international career has not reached its conclusion. The Liverpool center-back intends to continue representing the national team for as long as his physical condition and performance levels allow.
“That depends on my performance and how fit I stay. But it doesn’t end at a hundred.”
The squad’s next fixture approaches as the KNVB prepares the national team for upcoming international qualification matches in the European schedule.
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