Virgil van Dijk makes decision on future after Liverpool - 'I said no'

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has opened up on where his future might lie when he eventually retires — though the Reds and Netherlands star has insisted that he is a long way away from that happening yet.

Now 33, Van Dijk is in the final year of his contract at Anfield as things stand. But he confirmed to reporters including from Liverpool.com recently that his representatives have begun talks over an extension.

When it was put to him that he has previously ruled out becoming a pundit and he could therefore stay in soccer and become a coach instead, Van Dijk offered some insight into his thinking. It's certainly something that you could imagine him moving into.

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"I said no [to punditry] but that's also because coming to this hectic, busy, on-it life that my family is sacrificing a lot, my wife and my kids, to then have a year off or two years off and then going back into it... I don't think I see it happening, but never say never," he told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

"I really feel like I definitely will give something back to football. I love working and seeing younger players out there. I like going, for example, to the Liverpool Academy to watch the under 11, 12, 13. The other day I watched the little tournament on the 16s, if I'm correct, and just a couple of games, but also because of the joy, it's just nice to see.

"The thing is, when I was younger, I was eight or nine, and we had a training session. The first-team players from my team back then, Willem II, two or three players came and trained with us, and I'll never forget that.

"I know what kind of impact it makes to the younger boys and the younger generation, but what they give to me as well, seeing them happy and playing with pure joy and nothing in their mind or thinking, oh, yeah, anything, that's something that brings a lot to me as well.

"Going back to the question, I would love to stay in football in the future. But at this time, I don't know which kind of role, and it's too far away to think about it."

Van Dijk has been at Liverpool since he signed from Southampton during the winter transfer window of 2018. He has since played almost 300 matches for the Reds and was named captain when Jordan Henderson departed last summer.

Listen to the full Rio Meets Virgil interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, presented by Qatar Airways.