Virgil van Dijk to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for van Dijk fans. Speculation had been rife that the Dutch footballer will announce his retirement from sports, at age 35, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 20/08/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a footballer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a footballer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouVirgil

For a little while on Wednesday evening, #ThankYouVirgil was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouVirgil.”
— @DesireePlum, 19 Aug 2026

“van Dijk wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 19 Aug 2026

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