Virgil van Dijk Faces Criticism After Netherlands' Draw with Japan in World Cup Opener

In a thrilling World Cup opener, Virgil van Dijk's performance for the Netherlands against Japan has sparked debate. Despite scoring a goal, his agility was questioned by former players, leading to mixed reactions. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving Group F competitive. Read on to find out more about the game and the players' performances.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 15, 2026, 18:45 IST

Mixed Reactions to Van Dijk's Performance

Virgil van Dijk came under heavy scrutiny following the Netherlands' thrilling 2-2 draw against Japan in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener held in Dallas on Sunday. Former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart raised concerns about the Dutch captain's agility during the match. Van Dijk, who plays for Liverpool, had a night of ups and downs at the AT&T Stadium. He managed to score a header that gave the Netherlands an early lead in the second half, but his overall performance was questioned as Japan's quick and direct attacking style repeatedly challenged the Dutch defense, allowing them to equalize twice.

During the half-time analysis on NOS, while the score was still 0-0, Van der Vaart expressed his surprise at Van Dijk's performance. He remarked, “I have to be honest: I was quite shocked by Van Dijk. With him, I thought: that doesn’t look good. Especially while turning. It is proving very difficult. A bit like a Boeing 747 turning. I hope he starts turning a bit faster during the tournament.” His comments highlighted concerns about the defender's perceived decline in agility, which became evident as Japan launched counterattacks throughout the match.

In contrast, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who was providing commentary for ITV, disagreed with Van der Vaart's critique. He emphasized Van Dijk's significant contribution to the attack, particularly praising the center-back's headed goal that temporarily put Ronald Koeman's team in the lead. Keane noted, “It was obviously a brilliant delivery from [Ryan] Gravenberch, we know how good they are from set-pieces. Van Dijk is obviously on a good run of form in terms of scoring goals. He’s had a tough season. Some of the deliveries tonight from set-pieces weren’t great but when it comes back to Gravenberch… We saw Japan dropping deeper and deeper and once it goes in it’s an absolutely fantastic header from Van Dijk. He’s such a goal threat, brilliant finish. Going in off the post, brilliant. The way he guided it, there’s no pace in it, but fantastic header. Poor defending, Japan are dropping deeper but it’s beautiful, he’s seen it all the way. Lovely, lovely finish and they were in total control at this stage.”

Van Dijk's goal came in the 51st minute when he rose to connect with Ryan Gravenberch's cross, sending a powerful header past Japan's goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, igniting celebrations among the Dutch fans present.

However, the lead was short-lived. Japan showcased their resilience, a trait that has defined their recent performances, with Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada scoring to cancel out goals from Van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville. The draw left Group F in a competitive state, with Sweden the only team to secure three points after their victory over Tunisia. The Netherlands currently sits in second place, while Japan holds third, both with one point, and Tunisia is at the bottom of the group.