Virgil van Dijk has revealed his biggest battle of career

Virgil van Dijk has opened up on the biggest battle of his career. The Dutchman had to call on every ounce of his strength 10 years ago when he underwent an emergency operation after suffering a burst appendix. “I looked death in the eye - and it was a terrible experience," said the defender. “For the first time in my life, football meant nothing to me. It was not important at all. This was all about trying to stay alive. “My mother and I were both praying to God and, to be honest, we were discussing various scenarios. “At one point, I had to sign these documents. It was a will. If I would die in hospital, part of my money would go to my mum. “Nobody wanted to raise this issue, but it needed to be dealt with because there was a chance that I would die there and then. “I remember lying in bed. All I could see were tubes and wires on my body. My body was broken. I was not capable of anything. The worst things went through my mind.” Currently, the defender is in an international duty with Holland and is preparing to play Euro 2020 qualification game against Germany on March 24.

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