Virgil van Dijk: Netherlands captain hopes to bring down curtain on international career in style at 2026 World Cup

Virgil van Dijk will be desperate to lead the Netherlands to World Cup glory for the first time in their history in what will surely be the centre back's final-ever appearance at the tournament.

The Dutch skipper turns 35 the day before the quarter-finals get under way and hinted this could be his international swansong when delivering an emotional address to his team-mates after confirming their passage to the USA, Canada and Mexico with victory over Lithuania in November.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone here - the players, the staff and all the people working tirelessly behind the scenes," said Van Dijk on the occasion he led his country for a record-breaking 72nd time, overtaking Frank de Boer in the process.