Virgil van Dijk VS Harry Maguire? Who is the better player?
Popularly known as one of the best defenders in the world, Dutch professional footballer Virgil van Dijk plays as a centre-back and captains Premier League club Liverpool as well as the Netherlands national team. His strength and aerial ability make him one of the most established football players of his generation. On the other hand, English football player Harry Maguire plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. Having served as the captain of Manchester United, the player is also known for his strong and authoritative abilities as a defender.
1: Personal Stats
Taking a closer look at the player’s respective best seasons might lead us towards a clearer idea of their performance.
| Maguire | Van Dijk | |
| Matches | 52 | 50 |
| Goals | 6 | 5 |
| Assists | 5 | 2 |
In this category, although by a very small margin, Maguire is the winner.
Overall Stats:
| Maguire | Van Dijk | |
| Matches | 510 | 487 |
| Goals | 28 | 49 |
| Assists | 24 | 24 |
Upon looking at their overall career statistics, we get a clearer idea and hence we can undoubtedly establish Virgil van Dijk to be the clear winner of this category.
2: Titles
Van Dijk has successfully managed to have a career studded with titles and glories. The players have represented their respective clubs and national teams on the football team and helped them to attach precious titles to their names.
The following are the titles attained by both players:
| Maguire | Van Dijk | |
| Premier League | 0 | 1 |
| English Cup | 1 | 1 |
| Others | 0 | 7 |
It is clearly visible that van Dijk exceeds Maguire in this category by a long shot. Hence, he prevails as the winner of this category.
3: Individual Honours
The players have signed priceless prizes and distinctions to their names due to their unrivalled talents and enthusiastic gameplay. Both of the players have had honours showered upon them during their careers as a result of their dedication and hard work. Following are the individual honours received by both players for their astounding performance on the field.
Individual Honors of Virgil van Dijk:
PFA Players’ Player of the Year: 2018–19
Premier League Player of the Season: 2018–19
Premier League Player of the Month: December 2018
Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2022
UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award: 2018–19
UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season: 2018–19
Liverpool Fans’ Player of the Season Award: 2018–19
Liverpool Players’ Player of the Season Award: 2018–19
Southampton Player of the Season: 2015–16
Celtic Players’ Player of the Year: 2013–14
FIFA FIFPRO World 11: 2019, 2020, 2022
Individual Honors of Harry Maguire:
PFA Fans’ Player of the Year: 2013–14 League One
Football League One Team of the Season: 2013–14
Football League Young Player of the Month: August 2011
Sheffield United Player of the Year: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
Sheffield United Young Player of the Year: 2011–12
Hull City Fans’ Player of the Year: 2016–17
Hull City Players’ Player of the Year: 2016–17
Leicester City Player of the Season: 2017–18
Leicester City Players’ Player of the Season: 2017–18
UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2020–21
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2020
Upon taking a look at their individual honours we can conclude that van Dijk has an upper hand over Maguire. Hence, is the winner of this category.
4: International Career
Harry Maguire:
He played every minute of England’s seven games in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, advancing them to the semi-finals where they were beaten by Croatia. Additionally, he was selected for the England team to compete in the 2020 European Championship. He was vital in getting the team to the final, where they lost to Italy. He was selected for the UEFA Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament thanks to his outstanding performance throughout the competition. He became England’s highest-scoring defender in history after his opening goal in a 10-0 over San Marino in November 2021.
Virgil van Dijk:
Virgil van Dijk has been a vital part of the Netherlands national team ever since his debut for his amazing abilities as a defender. In 2019, he assisted the team in making it to the UEFA Nations League final, where they lost to Portugal. He was a part of the Netherlands national team when it reached the finals of Euro 22. In November 2022, Van Dijk was announced as the Dutch captain for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He led his team to the top of the group stage with wins over Senegal and hosts Qatar. Currently, he is the captain of the Netherlands national team.
Looking at both the player’s international careers we observe that they have each had their share of wonderful successes throughout the career. However, we can also observe that Virgil is slightly ahead of Maguire when it comes to international success.
Personal Life
Virgil van Dijk:
Van Dijk is known to be a follower of basketball and the NBA. He is often spotted at NBA games in the USA. He is involved in several charitable initiatives, including the Liverpool FC Foundation and the Dutch charity “Kinderen Kankervrij” (Children Cancer-Free).
Harry Maguire:
Harry Maguire enjoys playing golf outside of football and is also keen towards the game of horse riding. Maguire has also been actively involved in charitable and philanthropic efforts. He has launched his charitable organisation, “The Harry Maguire Foundation” to help underprivileged children and youth in the UK.
Harry Maguire Or Van Dijk? Who is the better player?
Maguire and Van Dijk are both exceptional players who have contributed to improving the performances of the teams they have played for. After examining every facet of their careers at all levels, it becomes clear that while both players have achieved great success in their individual careers, Virgil van Dijk has a clear advantage when compared.
