Van Dijk pulls out of Netherlands squad citing ‘personal circumstances’

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has withdrawn from the squad due to “personal circumstances”, the Dutch FA have announced.

The Liverpool defender led his country on Saturday as they booked their spot at next summer’s Euro 2020 finals with a 0-0 draw against Northern Ireland.

Van Dijk was due to feature in Tuesday’s clash with Estonia but will now be absent from the squad.

“National team coach Ronald Koeman cannot rely on Virgil van Dijk on Tuesday against Estonia,” a statement from the Dutch FA on their official website read.

“The captain of the Dutch national team has to let go of the game due to personal circumstances and has since left the Oranje training camp.”

Van Dijk becomes the third Liverpool player to withdraw from international duty in a matter of days, after Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez both left England priorities behind due to illness and injury – respectively – on Saturday, with Mo Salah and Andy Robertson also recovering from injured ankles.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has told Gomez – who was also involved in a bust-up with Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling earlier in the week – that withdrawing from the squad offers a good opportunity for the defender to “clear his head”.

 

The trio will now return to Liverpool, where they has been important for the Reds so far this term, with Jurgen Klopp’s side sitting eight points clear of Leicester in the Premier League table.

Their next game sees them face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

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