Van Dijk admits putting Liverpool before Holland with knee op decision | OneFootball

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk says he put club before country for last summer's Euros.

The Holland defender admitted how he aimed to make his comeback from the knee injury that sidelined him for most of his club's title defence last season by playing at the Euros.

But Van Dijk ultimately decided to put the needs of Jurgen Klopp ahead of his dream of playing for his country at a major international tournament for the first time.

Van Dijk said: “I had my eye on the European Championship for so long - the focus on that remained.

“I am someone who always wants to know everything. So I talked to surgeons, physios and players who had been through it before.

“I wanted to know how they were doing during their rehab and when they no longer felt anything in their knee and how they dealt with setbacks.

“The outside world puts you under pressure and because of that you also put yourself under pressure.

“At a certain point I found out that every rehabilitation is different and that you cannot determine yourself how quickly you return.

“One day, I sat around the table with the surgeon and my wife, Rike.

“At that moment, I decided my focus had to be about preparing for the new season with Liverpool.

"Any small setback would push me further away from the European Championships so it was best to make that decision.

“I also thought about being with Holland's squad during the Euros, but even that didn't feel right.

“Further rehabilitation and the focus on my return to Liverpool was more important."