Virgil van Dijk is our #4, and this is his freshly created WHOOP band. 🤝
Designed to draw attention with vivid hues and the recognizable #4, this item will make you stick out from the crowd and look good—just like the big man himself.
WHOOP enables Virgil van Dijk to play at the best level each and every day and in every match.
International Football Star Virgil Van Dijk on Recuperating from Injuries, Pre-Game Naps, and Consistency
In front of the world football tournament this year, Virgil Van Dijk discusses his priorities in terms of sleep and tactical naps, how his injury changed the way he approaches training and recuperation, and the need of consistency in achieving success.
Managing and Recuperation Throughout THE Season
For Virgil and other professional athletes, this year is different from most others. His schedule is busier than normal since, for the first time ever, a global football competition is being held in the winter. For Virgil, this entails juggling training with the remaining twenty or more hours of the day. You’re putting in every effort to be prepared because you play a game every three days. It’s really helpful if you can obtain that additional information—in this case, from WHOOP. I can’t help but check it first thing in the morning to make sure I’m doing everything correctly.
Why naps and sleep are so crucial
Virgil uses a variety of recuperation tools, like as an aquabike, a sauna, and a personal physiotherapist, to keep himself in control, but it can be challenging to properly recover in between games. It has been essential to monitor his rest and recuperation. It is crucial to know how to constantly obtain restful sleep. I need to get enough sleep if we’re playing every three days to ensure that I recover completely. It’s been hard to settle into a rhythm with games, travel, and evening kickoffs. Virgil is a big believer in taking naps to make up for his unavoidable sleep deficit, particularly in the event that the squad kicks off in the late afternoon or evening. “I do check my recovery score. Some people may become depressed upon seeing a red or yellow, but what really counts is what you do with the information.” On the morning before a big game, if I have a yellow or red Recovery and I know I can sleep in an extra hour, I know it will help.
His ACL injury and his remarkable recovery
Virgil had an ACL rupture during the 2020–2021 season, which kept him out of the game for more than nine months. “The worst injury a football player may sustain is a knee injury. It’s about attempting to return as soon as possible to the level you’ve set. He started going to rehab and training twice a day on a regular basis and put sleep and healing first. His strategy proved effective, and he returned to activity during the next season. Van Dijk has routinely achieved a Strain of 19 or 20 on double-session days during the preseason this year, and his greatest Strain scores occur on game days.
