Former players turned pundits have a "duty of responsibility" to the new generation of footballers when commenting on their performances, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says. Speaking to Sky Sports' Gary Neville, the defender warned opinions sometimes strayed into "clickbait, saying things to provoke things, and without thinking about the repercussions for the mental side of players". "For me personally, I can deal with it, but I'm a bit worried for the next generation," Van Dijk told Neville. It is not the first time Van Dijk has spoken out on the subject this season. Pundits' views also came under the spotlight last month when former Manchester United midfielders Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt made comments about current Red Devils' defender Lisandro Martinez.

Source: BBC February 06, 2026 11:29 UTC