Why 'big brother' Van Dijk is key to Dutch World Cup dreams

Virgil van Dijk remains the defensive cornerstone of the Netherlands' World Cup campaign. According to Olivier Giroud, France's World Cup-winning striker, van Dijk's leadership—his role as the 'big brother' of the Dutch defense—is absolutely central to their hopes. Even elite attacking players recognize how critical his presence is to anchoring the backline and organizing the team's entire defensive structure.

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