‘Really looking forward to it': Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk on coming to Texas for the World Cup

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has played all over the world as a Dutch international and as a star for Liverpool. But the 34-year-old center back has never been to Texas.

That will change come June.

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The Netherlands will play its first two 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in the state. The Dutch squad, ranked seventh in the world, takes on Japan at AT&T Stadium on June 14 before battling Sweden on June 20 at NRG Stadium.

“I’ve never been to Texas myself, but I’m really looking forward to it,” van Dijk said in quotes provided to the Chronicle by FIFA. “I know it’s going to be pretty hot.”

The Oranje will play their final match in the group stage against Tunisia in Kansas City. The Kansas City area will also host the team base camp for the Netherlands.

The Netherlands could also return to Houston during the World Cup knockout stage. The Group F runner-up will play the Group C winner in a Round of 32 game on June 29. Then, the winner of a game between the Group F winner and the Group C runner-up will play in a Round of 16 match at NRG Stadium on July 4.

“I like to travel, I like to see the world, I like to see different cultures,” van Dijk said. “I’ve heard there [are] very good barbecues over there. So hopefully, we’re going to be able to try a little bit. I’m pretty sure we will.”

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Houston is hosting seven World Cup matches in total at NRG Stadium between June 14 and July 4. Other than the Netherlands and Sweden, Portugal, Germany and Saudi Arabia are among the other teams that will come to Southeast Texas during the tournament.

No country has gone to the World Cup final as many times without lifting a trophy as the Netherlands has. The country lost the World Cup final in 1974, 1978 and 2010.

The most recent of those runner-up finishes was a 1-0 loss to Spain in extra time in South Africa. Van Dijk watched the final, and said Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas‘ remarkable, one-on-one foot save of legendary Dutch winger Arjen Robben to the scoreline even was “something you don’t forget.”

“For a small country like the Netherlands, we’ve done pretty well so far, it’s just that we want to win that cup,” van Dijk said. “We definitely have the players who can achieve that. But as I said at the beginning, it takes a lot more than just good players.”

One of the best defenders of his generation, van Dijk has been a key factor in Liverpool’s two Premier League titles and UEFA Champions League title over the past eight-plus years. He has been named to the FIFPRO World 11 five times and won the 2019 PFA Players’ Player of the Year as the best player in the English football pyramid, the only center back to do so over the past two decades.

Among the stars alongside van Dijk on the Netherlands squad are Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries and Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.

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After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands made the quarterfinals in 2022 before bowing out in a penalty shootout to Argentina. The Netherlands have not lost any World Cup game in regulation since the start of the 2010 World Cup, and their only non-penalty shootout loss was in the 2010 final.

“We just need to have a plan as a team, pull into the same direction, also with the support of the fans,” van Dijk said. “That means moving forward, being positive and being successful.”

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This article originally published at ‘Really looking forward to it’: Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk on coming to Texas for the World Cup.