Southampton striker Charlie Austin sent a gushing seven-word message to Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool’s Champions League final triumph on Saturday.
The Englishman took to his personal Twitter account to congratulate his former Saints team-mate, who once again played a key role as the Reds defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid.
Austin was clearly over the moon for the Dutchman, writing: “Congratulations @VirgilvDijk. Best centre half in the world.”
Congratulations @VirgilvDijk best centre half in the world
— Charlie Austin (@chazaustin10) June 1, 2019
OPINION
There is little doubt now, and hasn’t been for a while in all honesty, that Van Dijk is the world’s finest centre back. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable season and it reached its pinnacle on Saturday with that European Cup win. Austin obviously knows Van Dijk well from their time together at St Mary’s Stadium, where he will have gone up against the former Celtic man regularly in training. You’d think it unlikely that the Englishman came off on top in too many of those sessions. Still, it was good of him to send Van Dijk a message, even if he declined to do so to some other former Saints stars in the Liverpool squad. He’s right, though, Van Dijk is the best centre half in the world. One moment encapsulated just why on Saturday. Son Heung-min was tearing towards goal at breakneck speed and had appeared to get away from the Reds’ defence, only for Van Dijk to stroll across and jab the ball behind for a corner. He made it look so easy. He’s so fast, as well as being so powerful, and is, as Austin says, the premier centre half in world football.
