Away from the F1 tracks, Max Verstappen loves to livestream sim racing games and often engages with his fans in an impromptu Q&A. During his latest stream, the Dutchman wore a soccer jersey of his national team and, upon being asked by a fan, revealed that it was gifted to him by the captain of the Dutch National team, Virgil Van Dijk.
In a short clip uploaded on X by user Nini, the three-time world champ revealed how he got his hands on the jersey and why it was a special one.
“I got this one actually from Virgil [Van Dijk] a couple of days ago. He wore it during the match against Greece, where he scored the penalty. So, I think that’s pretty lovely.”
Earlier this year, in October, the Netherlands traveled to Greece for a Euro qualifiers match. It was a crucial game for the visitors as Greece were ahead of them in the table and in a better spot for qualification. The game was in a deadlock for the full 90 minutes, with three additional minutes left to play. Following a foul on Denzel Dumfries within the penalty area, the Dutch won a penalty in the dying moments of the game, which Van Dijk converted with ease. Both teams now sit on equal points, but the Dutch have two games left to make it to the tournament.
The penalty kick gave the Netherlands a fighting chance to make it into the Euro 2024, and thus, the jersey is a special one. With Van Dijk opting to part ways with it and present it as a gift to Verstappen exemplifies how special their friendship is. The driver’s world champion has rarely hidden the fact that he is good friends with the Liverpool Defender and often shares stories about him.
Despite Max Verstappen being a Man Utd fan, Van Dijk shares a close friendship with him
In July this year, Verstappen opened up on his fondness for soccer and claimed the English Premier League was his favorite league. The Dutchman mentioned he was a United (Manchester) supporter and wasn’t loving the fact that Manchester City was winning so much. However, he added he also shared a good friendship with the Liverpool Captain. “Well, it’s not like I’m a die-hard United fan, I talk to Virgil [Van Dijk] as well and [other] Liverpool players.”
Van Dijk, too, is fond of his countryman and even sent the 26-year-old a message once he secured his third-consecutive world title. The video message said, “Max, Congratulations! Another championship! Well done! It’s been a pleasure to watch you.” Having received wishes for winning the championship, the 26-year-old now wishes to see his national team lift the trophy in Euro 2024. Speaking about the same, the Dutchman admitted that while the team still has a long way to go, there is still a chance for them as long as they play well as a collective.
