Steven Gerrard believes only one Premier League defender outranks Virgil van Dijk.
Since Van Dijk’s move from Southampton to Liverpool in January 2018, debate has raged about whether he’s the greatest centre-back the league has ever seen. His commanding performances during Jurgen Klopp’s trophy-laden reign at Anfield have undoubtedly cemented his status as one of the game’s elite defenders.
Yet rival supporters often argue against crowning Van Dijk as the very best, with names like Chelsea’s John Terry and Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand commonly thrown into the mix. Other legendary figures like Vincent Kompany and Tony Adams also feature prominently in this debate.
Despite Van Dijk’s imposing reputation and countless accolades, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard doesn’t quite put him at the top. Gerrard — who made 504 Premier League appearances for the Reds — recently chose John Terry as his number one.
In a 2023 interview with the PFA, Gerrard was asked to select a five-a-side team of Premier League greats. When it came to choosing a centre-back, he revealed: “It would have to be either John Terry or [Virgil] van Dijk,” before opting for the former England captain.
As Van Dijk enters the final six months of his contract at Anfield, his long-term future remains unclear. However, with Liverpool leading the Premier League and Champions League, the Dutchman still has the chance to surpass Terry’s illustrious legacy.
