"Not Worth Mentioning": Jurgen Klopp's Fierce Defence of Virgil van Dijk After Van der Vaart's "Boeing 747" Jibe at the 2026 World Cup

Klopp's response: "He's not worth mentioning"

Jurgen Klopp, now working as a pundit for German broadcaster ARD (and later MagentaTV ), was asked about van der Vaart's comments ahead of the England vs. Croatia match. His reply was immediate and unequivocal.

• "I'm not sure if Rafael van der Vaart deserves to be mentioned at all." Klopp questioned the very premise of engaging with the criticism .
• "If he ever says something positive about a player, I'm willing to take him seriously again." This line was widely interpreted as a challenge to van der Vaart's credibility, implying the pundit was only interested in negative hot takes rather than constructive analysis .
• Klopp added that the comments were purely attention-seeking and not worth taking seriously . He refused to engage further, drawing a clear line between himself and what he views as unconstructive punditry .

Klopp's defence also highlighted the enduring bond between him and van Dijk, two years after his departure from Liverpool . The former manager, now overseeing Red Bull's football operations , made it clear he would not allow his former captain to be undermined without a fight.

The context: Dutch punditry tension

Van der Vaart's critique did not occur in a vacuum. The Dutch squad and its captain have long been subject to intense scrutiny from a vocal domestic media and former players. This incident was seen as part of a larger pattern in which former Dutch internationals offer harsh — sometimes personal — assessments of current players . Klopp's dismissal was therefore not just a defence of van Dijk, but a rejection of a style of punditry he considers unproductive.

Roy Keane's contrasting praise

On the other side of the punditry spectrum, Roy Keane — working for ITV Sport — offered a surprisingly warm assessment of van Dijk's performance against Japan. The Manchester United icon praised van Dijk's opening goal as "absolutely fantastic" and a "brilliant" moment . Keane noted that van Dijk is "clearly in good form when it comes to scoring" and highlighted his aerial threat, remarking that even when set-piece deliveries were off, van Dijk remained a danger .

The contrast was striking. Where van der Vaart saw a 34-year-old defender struggling to turn, Keane saw a world-class competitor delivering under pressure. Van Dijk has previously been hailed by Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland as the best defender in the world, with Messi noting his "agility for his height" and his impeccable timing .

The public row between Klopp and van der Vaart may have dominated headlines, but for those watching the game itself, van Dijk's performance — and its divergent interpretations — told the more complete story."