Virgil van Dijk’s boyhood club Willem II has given him one of football’s uncommon tributes. At their youth complex in Tilburg, the club unveiled the Virgil van Dijk Tribune, a new stand dedicated to the Liverpool and Netherlands captain. For Van Dijk, it was a return to the grounds that once doubted him, the same place where he trained, overlooked and unpaid, before beginning the long road to the top.
As a teenager, Van Dijk spent years at Willem II without ever playing for their first team. Coaches doubted his ceiling, even after a late growth spurt turned him into a towering defender. In 2010, the club declined to offer him a contract and he left for FC Groningen. Fifteen years later, Willem II has permanently tied his story to their academy, turning a rejection into recognition.
An eponymous stand
The newly named Virgil van Dijk Tribune seats around 200 people, with upgrades that improve shelter and sightlines for academy matches. It features a mural depicting Van Dijk’s journey from a local kid in Tilburg to the captain of Liverpool and the Dutch national team.
The unveiling coincided with the launch of the Virgil’s Legacy Trophy, an international under-13 tournament designed to inspire the next generation.
Van Dijk called the honor “incredibly proud,” adding, “Willem II played an important role in my life and my development as a young player. That this is now being recognized in this way means a great deal to me and my family. It’s a very special tribute, and I appreciate the warmth and connection I still feel with the club.”
Willem II general manager Merijn Goris said the decision was meant to be a lasting gift. “Virgil means so much to Willem II and to our youth academy. We wanted to give him something lasting. Virgil is the perfect example of what hard work and perseverance can lead to.”
The gesture is unusual. Clubs rarely name stands or facilities after players still active in the game. Lionel Messi received a stand at Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario last year. Cristiano Ronaldo has his name on Sporting CP’s academy in Lisbon. Van Dijk now joins that exclusive group, despite never appearing in Willem II’s first team.
On social media, fans called it “well deserved” and “classy.” Others noted the irony: Willem II now has a stand named after a player they once let go for free. Memes showed Van Dijk as a kid in Willem II kit next to the new tribune sign, captioned: “Never played a match there, but now part of the furniture.”
For the club, the tribute is more than nostalgia. It’s a signal to their academy players that greatness can come from the same fields they play on. As the club’s statement put it, the stand is meant to “permanently inspire new generations of youth players.”
Van Dijk’s career may have taken him to Celtic, Southampton, Liverpool, and Champions League glory, but Willem II has reclaimed its place in his story.
