Virgil van Dijk honoured after reaching 100 Netherlands caps
The Oranje captain received several commemorative gifts following a 2-1 victory over Serbia and says he has no intention of stopping at a century of appearances.
Virgil van Dijk was honoured on and off the pitch after making his 100th appearance for the Netherlands in a 2-1 win over Serbia at the Philips Stadion. The Oranje captain received a golden plate, a cap and a watch to commemorate the milestone.
The celebrations began on the field before continuing in the dressing room. KNVB president Marianne van Leeuwen addressed Van Dijk, who then thanked the Netherlands players and staff. He also expressed his gratitude to former international team-mates who had shared earlier stages of his Oranje career.
Van Dijk said the watch was an especially welcome gift because of his interest in them. Reflecting on the landmark, he explained that reaching 100 caps had not seemed a realistic target when he was young. His original ambition was simply to represent the national side, while the prospect of a century only became tangible during the later years of his career.
The defender made his senior Netherlands debut away to Kazakhstan in October 2015, when he was 24. Van Dijk stressed that the Serbia match would not be his final international appearance. “It does not end at 100,” he said, as reported by FCUpdate, while adding that his eventual total will depend on his performances and fitness.
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