‘Top player’: Cahill has named current Liverpool ace as one of the 5 best players he’s ever faced

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Gary Cahill has named Virgil van Dijk as one of the five best players he has ever faced in his career.

The former Chelsea centre-back showered praise on the Liverpool central defender in a new interview with Sport Bible.

Considering Virgil van Dijk has constantly been criticised this season, it is refreshing to see Gary Cahill emphasise his excellence.

Gary Cahill has high praise for Virgil van Dijk

Considering the Reds colossus has looked way off the pace this campaign, some of the critique placed by pundits and ex-players has been justified to say the least.

After all, Van Dijk is one of the best centre-backs in the world and for him to look as culpable for Liverpool’s poor defending as he has this campaign does need to be called out.

But simultaneously, narratives have also been shifted about just how sublime Virgil van Dijk has been for a while and Gary Cahill reminded many, as a fellow centre-half about what makes him such a class act.

“Massive player. Early on in his career, I remember playing against him. He was at Southampton, almost learning his way there. Got his move to Liverpool. The rest speaks for itself, he’s obviously one of the best centre-backs in the world, I think. Seems a big character.”

“Quick, strong, aggressive, can play. Again, all the attributes you need to be a top player in European football, not just the Premier League.”

Rewriting the Van Dijk story is becoming a trend that needs to be stopped

While criticising Virgil van Dijk when he makes an error is fair, as Gary Cahill said, he has been a world-class player for a number of years and that needs to be acknowleged.

Especially in his prime between 2018 and 2020, there was not a single centre-back on the Dutchman’s level.

But of course, in today’s social media-driven age, everyone has an opinion and it can often be not just influenced by personal bias but often simply well off the mark.