Celtic’s Under-13s are out in Holland this weekend flying the flag at the very first Virgil’s Legacy Trophy — and they’re clearly loving every second.
The tournament is fronted by Virgil van Dijk himself, and the Liverpool skipper made a point of giving the young Hoops a proper welcome. No PR fluff either — he posed for a photo with the team, a simple touch that means the world to lads at that age.
It’s easy to forget now, withe EPL and Champions League medals, but Virgil’s big leap came in Glasgow. Celtic picked him up from Groningen in 2013 for just over £2.5 million — a bargain that still defies belief when you look back.
Within weeks it was obvious: he was different class. Composed on the ball, strolling out of defence, sticking free-kicks in the top corner. Scottish football couldn’t lay a glove on him most weeks.
Two league titles and a League Cup later, it was Southampton who cashed in. From there, the rise was frightening. Liverpool made him the most expensive defender in the world at the time — and he justified every penny. Champions League, Premier League, World Cup runs. A proper world-class career.
That’s the story these kids will be told in the dressing room — and now they’ve met the man in the flesh. Standing there in their Celtic gear, shaking hands with a player who once did the same, it hammers home what’s possible.
The weekend in Holland isn’t just about games of football. It’s about seeing what can be achieved if you graft, if you believe you’ve got that extra step in you. Virgil’s gone from Parkhead to lifting the Champions League. No reason a Celtic kid in that photo couldn’t dream the same.
