Xavi praises Van Dijk as Netherlands defender reaches ‘amazing’ 100-cap milestone

Netherlands manager Xavi Hernandez says Virgil van Dijk deserves to celebrate winning his 100th international cap, describing the captain as a “true leader”.

Van Dijk is set to reach the landmark when Netherlands face Serbia on Sunday in the fourth round of Group B fixtures in the Nations League – League A.

“It could be an emotional day for Virgil, and I am extremely happy to work with him,” Xavi said at his pre-match news conference. “He is a true leader.”

The Liverpool defender has represented Netherlands 100 times, a milestone Xavi believes reflects his importance to the national team.

“Virgil deserves to reach 100 international appearances; he belongs in this group,” added Xavi. “Playing 100 international matches is an amazing achievement.”

Netherlands go into the meeting with Serbia second in Group B on five points, two behind leaders Greece, who have seven.

Xavi’s side began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Germany before beating Serbia 2-1 in the second round. They then drew 2-2 with Greece in their third match.

The short turnaround between fixtures has left little time for preparation and recovery, with Netherlands having played four matches in a short period.

“We tried to recover well because there is not much time,” said Xavi. “We have played four matches in a very short period.”

He acknowledged that the schedule could prove demanding for the players, but said it was part of the current fixture programme.

“It may be very tiring for the players, but that is the match schedule,” he said.