Why does Virgil van Dijk have 'Virgil' and not his surname on the back of his shirt? | OneFootball

Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk has established himself as one of the greatest centre-backs to grace the game and has been one of the best Premier League players of the modern era.

After excelling at south coast side Southampton, Liverpool forked out £75 million for his services, and he has returned the favour in the form of their first Premier League title in 30 years.

A Champions League triumph has also been added to the collection and, on an individual note, he is the only defender to win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.

You may have noticed the Dutchman opts to have his first name 'Virgil' printed on his shirt, as opposed to his surname, which is the common theme for all footballers.

Although he personally has never revealed the reason, his close relative has disclosed why.

The former Southampton and Celtic defender often does his talking on the pitch, which may be the reason he has failed to mention why ‘Virgil’ is what can be seen on the back of his shirt.

However, according to his uncle Steven Fo Sieeuw, Van Dijk has chosen to do this because of a lengthy feud with his dad, which goes back to when he was 12.

“His dad split with his mother and his three children, including Virgil. The truth is his dad was not around for so many important years and it is his mother who is the real hero of this story,” Fo Sieeuw told The Sun.

“You don’t take your dad’s name off your shirt without a reason and Virgil has made it very clear how he feels,” Van Dijk’s uncle continued.

“Ron [Van Dijk] is a nice guy but you need to be more than that to be a good father. You have to be there for your children. Ron married again and his new wife was very domineering, so he didn’t see his kids much.”

Van Dijk’s uncle was incredibly helpful in his nephew’s come up in the world of football as he took him to youth training and matches but still insists that his mother deserves all the credit.

He says: “She had a full-time job and three kids to look after, so she never had a minute for herself.

“She spent every day going to work then coming home and looking after the kids and doing all the cooking.

"“I feel for Virgil, it’s like he’s been caught in the middle.”

It’s an extremely sad story, but his performances on the pitch and off-field persona will certainly be doing his devoted mother very proud.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 29: Memphis Depay of FC Barcelona looks on during the La Liga Santader match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at Camp Nou on August 29, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Van Dijk is not the only footballer to do this and defy the typical rule, though.

Dele Alli, who is now plying his trade in Turkey, also opted for his first name to be stated on his shirt back in 2016 with claims that he felt no genuine relation to his surname.