Virgil van Dijk has spent the best part of a decade making the extraordinary look routine, but his next appearance for the Netherlands will carry a little more weight than most. 

The Liverpool captain stands on the brink of his 100th international cap, another landmark in a career that has already secured his place among the great Dutch defenders.

Van Dijk is expected to make his 100th appearance for the Netherlands when they face Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday 4th October, becoming just the 11th Dutch player to reach the century mark. 

Ahead of the occasion, Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernández was full of praise for his captain.

“It is an emotional day for him too. I am so happy for him,” Xavi said.

“And I am happy to be working with him. He is a true leader.”

The Dutch boss added that reaching 100 caps was an “incredible achievement”, with Van Dijk set to receive recognition following the Serbia clash. 

It is a milestone that once appeared far from guaranteed. Van Dijk did not make his senior Netherlands debut until October 2015, starting a Euro 2016 qualifier against Kazakhstan at the age of 24. Since then, he has developed from a relatively late arrival on the international scene into the heartbeat of the Oranje defence.

Now 35, Van Dijk has accumulated 99 caps and 14 goals heading into the Serbia fixture. He has also worn the captain’s armband more than 70 times. 

His latest international goal came only days ago. With the Netherlands trailing Greece 2-0, Van Dijk powered home a header to begin a second-half comeback before Tijjani Reijnders rescued a 2-2 draw. 

The centre-back has represented his country at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup, Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup, although injury cruelly denied him the chance to feature at the delayed European Championship in 2021.

If Van Dijk’s international longevity is impressive, his Liverpool story is even more remarkable.

Liverpool paid Southampton around £75million for the defender in January 2018 – a fee that generated plenty of discussion at the time. Within days, he was already making an impact, heading home an 84th-minute winner against Everton on his debut at Anfield. 

What followed was transformative. Van Dijk became the defensive cornerstone of Jürgen Klopp’s greatest Liverpool side, helping the Reds win the Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups.

He was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in 2019, while finishing narrowly behind Lionel Messi in that year’s Ballon d’Or voting. 

After succeeding Jordan Henderson as Liverpool captain in 2023, Van Dijk scored the extra-time winner against Chelsea in the 2024 League Cup final before leading the club to another Premier League championship in 2024/25. 

Liverpool’s official figures had him at 374 appearances and 36 goals earlier this summer, with his trophy collection standing as evidence of just how significant his arrival proved. 

There have been world-class centre-backs before him in both red and orange, but longevity at the very top separates the great from the good.

Against Serbia, Van Dijk has the opportunity to add another number to an extraordinary career.

One hundred caps. Captain of club and country. And, even at 35, still the man both Liverpool and the Netherlands look towards when they need someone to lead.

Would you still class Virgil van Dijk as the best defender in the world? Leave your thoughts and comment below.