Jonathan Woodgate believes Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is the 'best centre back I have seen in my lifetime' as he heaped praise on the Reds number four who has been imperious since his return from an ACL injury he sustained in October 2020.
The former Real Madrid defender waxed lyrical about the captain of Holland insisting that Van Dijk has 'everything' you would want and need in a central defender as he prepares for his third Champions League final.
Liverpool will come up against Real Madrid in the showpiece final on Saturday, May 28 in Paris and Van Dijk will be tested to his limit against the in-form Karim Benzema, but Woodgate thinks it is a tougher task playing against the Dutchman than it is the Madrid striker.
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"I think he’s the best centre back I’ve seen in my lifetime," said Woodgate to BritishGambler.co.uk. "He’s incredible. He’s an incredible player. The best I’ve seen. I think Benzema is on something ridiculous like 43 goals for the season and he will need to be at his best against Van Dijk. You play against a centre back like Van Dijk, and he just has everything.
"Everything you’d want in a centre back. If you could create a centre back and say this is what I’d want him to look like – Virgil Van Dijk is that player. If Liverpool lose him, he is irreplaceable. He’s the most important player in that Liverpool team. Playing against Benzema is tough, but playing against Van Dijk is on another planet. He’s just outrageously good."
