{"id":317177,"date":"2025-12-15T12:38:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T12:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/317177\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T12:38:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T12:38:08","slug":"van-dijk-names-his-dream-future-job-lfc-sporting-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/317177\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Dijk Names His Dream Future Job: LFC Sporting Director?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Virgil van Dijk<\/a> is yet to signal any plans to retire as a professional footballer, but the Liverpool captain has given an indication of his ideal job after his playing career ends.<\/p>\n

Van Dijk signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool in April, taking him to the end of next season by which point he will be 36.<\/p>\n

However there is no sign this will be his last contract as a player, with it entirely possible that he extends his stay at Anfield further \u2013 or, if not with the Reds, continuing his career elsewhere.<\/p>\n

But now entering his mid-30s there are obvious questions over how long Van Dijk will continue playing and what his plans are in retirement.<\/p>\n

Virgil van Dijk names the ONE player he’d love to play with and more ? @fifpro<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/TRHvT46d8Q<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 GOAL (@goal) December 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

In an interview with GOAL after being named in the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 for 2025, the Dutchman hinted that his next job could be as a sporting director.<\/p>\n

Asked what he would be if he wasn\u2019t a footballer, Van Dijk named the position currently held by Richard Hughes<\/a> at Liverpool.<\/p>\n

This comes with the No. 4 having already played down becoming a manager on a number of occasions, including in an interview on the Rio Meets podcast last year.<\/p>\n

Van Dijk has no desire to become a manager<\/p>\n

\"LEEDS,<\/p>\n

\u201cI said no, but that\u2019s also coming from this hectic, busy, on-it life that my family is sacrificing a lot for, my wife and my kids,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo then have a year or two years off and then going back into it, I don\u2019t think I see it happening. But never say never.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really feel like I definitely will give something back to football. I love working and seeing younger players out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like going for example to the Liverpool academy to watch the under-11s, 12s, 13s. The other day I watched a little tournament, under-16s if I\u2019m correct, and just a couple of games.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is, I know when I was younger, I was eight or nine, we had a training session and the first-team players from my team back then, Willem II, like two or three players came and trained with us.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never forget that, and I know what kind of impact that makes to younger boys and the younger generation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what they give to me as well, seeing them happy, playing with pure joy, nothing in their minds, that\u2019s something that brings a lot to me as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing back then to the question, I would love to stay in football in the future, but on my time. I don\u2019t know which kind of role, it\u2019s too far away to think about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Dijk has already moved into youth football with the Virgil\u2019s Legacy Trophy, with Liverpool\u2019s U13s winning the inaugural tournament<\/a> at Willem II\u2019s youth stadium in September.<\/p>\n

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