Van Dijk on 100th cap for Netherlands: 'I didn't even dare dream of reaching this milestone'

Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admitted he struggled to hold back tears in the dressing room after reaching the remarkable milestone of 100 caps for the Oranje. The experienced centre-back wore the captain's armband in a 2-1 victory over Serbia in Eindhoven, becoming just the 11th player in the nation's history to reach a century of international appearances.

It was an emotionally charged evening for the 35-year-old defender, who walked onto the pitch hand-in-hand with his son Mace, while his parents and family watched on with pride from the stands.

"It was an incredibly special night and a wonderful moment that fills me with immense pride," said Van Dijk. "I was overwhelmed with emotion in the dressing room. It's something I couldn't even have dreamed of early on. When I was younger, a milestone like this seemed completely out of reach, and I never even considered it. That makes the whole experience all the more moving. I have to express my gratitude to the coaching staff and all the managers I've worked with over the years. My deepest thanks, however, go to my family, who were here to support me tonight."

Reflecting on his journey, the defender admitted he could have been even higher on the Netherlands' all-time appearance list were it not for serious injury setbacks: "I believe I've given my absolute best so far. Sadly, I lost an entire year to a cruciate ligament injury — otherwise, I'd be much closer to Wesley Sneijder's tally. Even so, I feel happy and proud of the path I've taken. I don't like looking too far ahead. Staying in top physical shape and doing everything possible to be available for every match is what matters most. I'm in good form and only looking forward. Football is the most beautiful game. I know people place a lot of focus on age, but my job is simply to help the team as much as possible, both on and off the pitch."