Virgil van Dijk, a defender for Liverpool, has called veteran AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud his “bogeyman” and named him the hardest opponent he has ever played.
At both the club and international levels, Van Dijk, 32, is recognized as one of the most complete center backs of the modern age.
He has faced off against several of the world’s best attackers.
Van Dijk acknowledges that he has frequently battled against France international Giroud, 37, who was once of Arsenal and Chelsea,
despite the fact that no opponent has remarkably been able to dribble past him this season.
“He’s my bogeyman,” says Liverpool player Virgil van Dijk of Olivier Giroud, calling him his most formidable opponent to date.
In an interview with France Football, Van Dijk said that Giroud has always defeated him by hook or by crook.
The Frenchman left the Premier League in 2021 to pursue his career in Italy, so Van Dijk is probably relieved.
Virgil van Dijk & Oliver Giroud
Van Dijk said that he and Giroud even cracked jokes after the forward scored in Liverpool’s 5-3 triumph against Chelsea at Anfield in July 2020.
He went on: “You scored again?!” I asked him after we defeated the Premier League 5-3, when we were leading 3-0 or something.
He scored a scruffy goal that, I believe, went against the crossbar and sent him sprawling to the ground.
The Premier League Player of the Season in 2018–19, the former Southampton and Celtic player,
continued by mentioning Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, and Erling Haaland as some of his most formidable opponents.
Van Dijk continued, “I’ve played against so many incredible strikers.” Messi, Aguero,
and Haaland are tough choices because they have it all, but Giroud is my nemesis—annoying!
