Virgil van Dijk and 3 Netherlands stars to know ahead of 2026 World Cup

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Virgil van Dijk and 3 Netherlands stars to know ahead of 2026 World Cup

Chris Spiering, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jun 8, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Virgil van Dijk and 3 Netherlands stars to know ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The 2026 World Cup is finally here! The biggest sporting tournament in the world will take place in the United States and North America starting on June 11. Lionel Messi and Argentina aim to repeat as champions after they took down France in penalties in the World Cup Final back in 2022.

The No. 1 team in the world right now is Spain , to nobody's surprise. The Spanish won the 2024 Euros, and Lamine Yamal took the world by storm. France is second, followed by Argentina, England , and Brazil to round out the top five. The Netherlands comes in at No. 7, behind Portugal and ahead of Morocco , Belgium , and Germany .

In 2022, the Dutch defeated the Americans in the Knockout Rounds to advance to the quarter-finals against Argentina. After falling 2-0, the Dutch stormed back and tied it 2-2. They would then lose in penalty shootouts.

While Holland is not favored to win this tournament in 2026, they could make a serious run as they did four years ago. This squad contains one of the best defenders in the world, paired with a top-class midfielder. The wingers and forwards are much more experienced now as well. OnsOranje!

The soccer community is well acquainted with Frenkie de Jong , as he is one of the most popular midfielders in the sport and plays for Barcelona . De Jong is not the biggest star on the team; however, Virgil van Dijk has been a Dutch legend since 2015 and is the team's captain.

Still, de Jong will be everywhere on the field, making sure his team plays the way they should. de Jong has missed key games in the past and the entire 2024 Euros due to an ankle injury. He has also missed some time in 2026 with a hamstring injury as well. The outlook is that the midfielder will be good to go next week.

Here are the four key members of the squad that you need to know, with van Dijk being another very obvious one.

Virgil van Dijk , Defender, Liverpool (England)

Virgil van Dijk, the left center back, is the captain of the team. He is regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation and in Premier League history. He's been a part of two historic clubs, Liverpool and, of course, the Netherlands National Team . Van Dijk has made a combined 363 appearances with both clubs.

What makes van Dijk excel is his strength, pace, and technique, giving him an elite IQ of the game. He is also a very good set-piece taker and has 12 goals with his national team and 27 with Liverpool. Van Dijk will be on the pitch for almost every second of the tournament.

Cody Gakpo , Forward, Liverpool (England)

Cody Gakpo is a 27-year-old star who is in the prime of his career. Gakpo has been a major contributor with every team he has been on. The forward scored 36 goals in 106 appearances with PSV and now has 32 in 127 appearances with Liverpool. His entire youth career involved playing with the Netherlands U squads, and he has combined for 30 goals since 2018. He has been on the senior team since 2021.

Gakpo signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool in 2025. This team does not want to lose a star like him, as he can do it all around the net. He is mostly a left-winger but can play more in midfield and even as a striker if needed. He is elite at finding the back of the net with his speed. In the 2024 Euros, he scored three goals and was awarded the Golden Boot in a 6-way tie.

Ryan Gravenberch , Central Midfielder, Liverpool (England)

The last of the Liverpool trio is Ryan Gravenberch. Gravenberch is a rising midfielder who has played for two of the best teams in the world. He spent the 2022-23 season with Bayern Munich and has been with Liverpool since 2023. He has made 124 appearances between both clubs, with 26 for the Netherlands national team. The midfielder is not known for scoring goals, but instead for his athleticism and defense.

Grevenberch will be one of the midfielders starting alongside Frenkie de Jong , giving them a lot of skill in the middle of the pitch. Between those two, and Tijjani Reijnders , they make up one of the best midfields in the world. They all complement each other very well.

Tijjani Reijnders, Central Midfielder, Manchester City (England)

Reijnders is more of an offensive-minded midfielder, which makes this unit unique. Gravenberch relies on the defense, de Jong focuses on all-around play by assisting his teammates and being the possession holder, and then, Reijnders can put the ball in the back of the net like the best of them.

Reijnders plays for Manchester City with five goals in 28 appearances. From 2023-25, he played for AC Milan , scoring 13 goals in 73 appearances.

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