The countdown has begun for the Netherlands. In four days, the Orange will take to the pitch for their first match at the 2026 World Cup, and captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that the team dreams of going far in the tournament.
“We are not looking too far ahead, but we all have big dreams,” Van Dijk declared at Wednesday’s press conference.
The Netherlands did not have the best preparations ahead of the tournament. Ronald Koeman’s team were defeated 1-0 by Algeria in their farewell match before the World Cup, but responded by beating Uzbekistan 2-1 in their final friendly.
For Van Dijk, this World Cup could also have special significance on a personal level. If the Netherlands reach the final and he plays in every match, the Liverpool defender will record his 100th appearance for the national team.
“That would be very special. Of course, I’m not focused on that statistic at all, but it would be a nice way to close it out,” the 34-year-old said with a smile.
Another topic that continues to be discussed in the Dutch camp is the conditions in the United States, especially the high temperatures and the quality of the pitches.
“I hope all the pitches are as good as the one we trained on today. This was a problem that was also seen during the Club World Cup,” Van Dijk stressed.
The Netherlands is considered one of the national teams that could surprise at the 2026 World Cup, while its captain believes that the team has the potential to realize the big dreams it has before the start of the tournament.
