'Genuinely believe that' - Ben Foster makes bold claim over Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk

Former Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster has labelled Virgil van Dijk "the best defender that has ever lived".

The Liverpool centre-back has been a key figure ever since arriving at Anfield in January 2018 and has earned many plaudits for his performances over the year.

Van Dijk narrowly missed out on the Ballon d'Or in 2019, losing to Lionel Messi by just seven points, and was widely regarded as the leading defender in world football as the Reds clinched their sixth European Cup and ended their 30-year wait for top-flight glory in England.

A nasty ACL injury sustained in October 2020 kept the Dutchman on the sidelines for close to a year, with some of the opinion the 32-year-old has failed to ever reach the previous heights witnessed before this setback.

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Many would argue, nonetheless, the Liverpool captain will go down as an all-time great of the game due to his remarkable consistency over a prolonged period of time. Offering his opinion on the legacy of the ex-Southampton star, Ben Foster has argued no-one matches up to Van Dijk.

"I've got one I think we probably will put in the top 10 [defenders list]," said the recently retired shot-stopper. "Some people would say about longevity, but I still think in the whole pantheon of centre-backs, this guy stepped the game up a little bit. I really do. Virgil van Dijk.

"I think for three years in a row, he was the best centre-back in the world. He had a bad injury and is probably still finding his feet from that

"Virgil van Dijk, peak of his powers, is the best defender that has ever lived. I genuinely believe that.