Virgil van Dijk has spoken out about a rule he isn’t a massive fan of at the 2026 World Cup following the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw against Japan.

The Dutch captain opened the scoring for his team with an excellent header from a Ryan Gravenberch delivery into the box. However, the towering central defender then missed his header from a last-gasp Japan corner, which led to an equaliser from Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada.

Van Dijk has now joined his former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in criticising a rule that FIFA have forced into World Cup matches this year.

Virgil van Dijk Unhappy With World Cup Rule

Hannah Mckay via Reuters

After playing a big role in his country’s opening-day draw, Van Dijk made his feelings clear about the hydration breaks put in place by the governing body. While drink breaks aren’t a new thing, the way they’re being implemented is.

Games are stopped every 22 minutes to give players an opportunity to rehydrate due to the searing temperatures at some of the United States, Canada and Mexico-based venues. These breaks must last three minutes before play can be restarted.

The Dutch captain stated the forced stoppages are not something he ‘likes’, having watched the other matches at the tournament before experiencing it for himself. He said during a post-match interview:

Van Dijk clearly thinks FIFA should rethink the use of these hydration breaks in all 104 matches across this summer’s competition. And the Liverpool superstar doesn’t appear to be the only one.

Fans Back Van Dijk’s Take on FIFA Rule

Hannah Mckay via Reuters

Football fans from different nations came together on social media to back the sentiment Van Dijk was trying to get across. Many believe footballers must speak up about issues more to influence positive change.

“Finally, a player who talks about it. A hydration break when it’s cool out makes absolutely no sense,” one X user said. Another simply stated: “Good lad, players need to use their voice on this.”

Many supporters are happy a high-profile player at the tournament is making his feelings clear. “He gets it,” one user said. Another pointed out that the 34-year-old appeared to have more to say before cutting himself off: “A very principled man. Very happy he’s spoken up/ the fact he fears he can’t talk freely about it shows just how grimy the ‘drink breaks’ are.”

One fan even blasted Gianni Infantino while praising the Liverpool skipper, saying: “Thank you, Virgil Van Dijk for having the courage to speak the truth. The hydration breaks are not because FIFA cares about the players. Of course FIFA doesn’t give a damn; it’s just pure business to make extra money at the expense of the sport. Gianni Infantino only cares about money, money, money; he knows nothing else other than money.”

After qualifying for the 1954 World Cup, Turkey had to wait until Euro ’96 before they were involved in another major tournament again, but they certainly made up for lost time.

The national side’s impressive performances at Euro 2000 and a third-place finish in the World Cup two years later propelled a proud footballing nation back among the elite. Domestic giants Galatasaray underscored Turkey’s rise with victory in the UEFA Cup final over Arsenal in 2000, three months before defeating Real Madrid in the European Super Cup.

Turkey have waned since finishing third at Euro 2008, but Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, the Real Madrid and Juventus youngsters, offer a lot of hope for the future.

Here are the legendary figures that the next generation has to live up to.

15

Emre Belozoglu

Career Span: 1996-2011

Emre Belozoglu emerged from Galatasaray’s famed youth system at the turn of the 20th century, prompting heads to turn with a string of combative and commanding performances. Italian giants Inter Milan snapped Emre up in 2001 for £5 million.

After four seasons in and out of Inter’s team, the diminutive midfielder joined Premier League side Newcastle United with one Italian Cup to his name. Emre was a dead-ball specialist and playmaker, but his fiery temper constantly got him into trouble. Controversy clouds a career that earned him a century of international appearances — only four players have racked up more caps for Turkey.

14

Tuncay Sanli

Career Span: 2000-2015

Celebrated in Turkey, Tuncay was a bit of a journeyman footballer in Europe’s elite leagues. After an adjustment period, he enjoyed a fruitful spell in England for Middlesbrough under former England manager Gareth Southgate, before turning out at Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg.

Tuncay’s revered reputation was earned chiefly through his success on home soil with Fenerbahce, where he won three Super Lig titles in four years. The Turkish winger was nicknamed “Cesur Yurek,” which translates to “Brave Heart,” because of his never-say-die attitude and effort during matches. Even Galatasaray fans respected the player despite his legendary status for their fearsome rivals.

13

Nuri Sahin

Career Span: 2005-2021

A player with immense talent but constant injuries, Nuri Sahin never reached the heights expected despite playing for some of the biggest clubs in football. Sahin’s best performances came at Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga in 2011 and was voted Player of the Season. Then Jose Mourinho called.

Sahin would move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2011, but the German-born Turkish midfielder made just four appearances for Los Blancos. The following campaign wasn’t much different. Sahin played seven games during a pricey loan spell at Liverpool. He’d end up returning to Dortmund and spending over five more years there, before moving on to Werder Bremen. At 33, Sahin called it a day at the end of 2021 whilst playing for Antalyaspor in Turkey and became their manager.

12

Yildiray Basturk

Career Span: 1996-2010

In footballing terms, Yildiray Basturk was somewhat of a late bloomer. Another one of Turkey’s German-born talents, he went under the radar for a long time. It all changed after his performances for Bayer Leverkusen during the 2001/02 season.

Basturk played a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s run to the Champions League final – remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s spectacular volley. The 5ft 6′ midfielder took his form into the 2002 World Cup in South Korea, where he started every game on the way to a third-place finish. Although he never won a title – the only player on the list to have such an unfortunate feat – he was still highly talented among his generation of players

11

Hakan Calhanoglu

Career Span: 2011-Present

Widely considered to be Turkey’s best active player, and rightfully so, Hakan Calhanoglu is a dead ball specialist and captains his country. He first made headlines for Hamburg, when he levelled a free-kick from 41 yards out into the top corner. After Hamburg, he stayed in the Bundesliga for three further years with Bayer Leverkusen, before making the move to Italy, when AC Milan paid £20 million for his services.

He then made the move to city-rivals Inter Milan and almost became the first Turk to win the Champions League in 2023, when Inter finished as runners-up to Manchester City. It would have been even more special for the 29-year-old to achieve such a feat in Istanbul, where the final was held. Two years later, he’d become the first Turkish player to appear in more than one Champions League final, but Inter were battered 5-0 by Paris Saint Germain.

10

Sergen Yalcin

Career Span: 1993-2003

Before his glory days as a coach, Sergen Yalcin is first and foremost one of the great legends of Turkish football. The famous attacking midfielder also has the distinction of being one of the few players to have played for each of the teams in Turkey’s Big Three, Istanbul rivals Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce.

And while he has never played outside his homeland, everyone agrees that his fate would have been similar, if not more incredible, if he had gone to play in Europe’s top five leagues. But no one will ever know. And that’s another part of his legend.

9

Lefter Kucukandonyadis

Career Span: 1948-1963

Lefter Kucukandonyadis will go down in history as the first Turkish player to play for a foreign club. After leaving Galatasaray in 1951, he joined Fiorentina and then OGC Nice, before returning to Cimbom, where he scored over 400 goals in some 600 games.

At the very end of his career, the man whose Greek origins are reflected in his surname decided to play – and later coach – in his parents’ homeland, joining AEK Athens. At international level, however, it was the colours of Turkey that Kucukandonyadis wore, donning them on 46 occasions, scoring 21 goals in the process.

8

Hamit Altintop

Career Span: 2000-2018

Hamit Altintop, which translates into English as “Golden Ball”, is one of two brothers who played for Turkey. Altintop (and his younger brother Halil) was another player of Turkish descent to be born in Germany, spending the majority of his career in the Bundesliga.

The elder Altintop brother spent four seasons playing for his hometown club Schalke 04, before doing what all good players in Germany seem to do, signing for Bayern Munich. After four years in Bavaria, Altintop joined Real Madrid.

The midfielder got very little playing time during the 2012/13 season, with the likes of Xabi Alonso, Lassana Diarra, Mesut Ozil, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo making up the bulk of the team. The fact that he was even snapped up by the Spanish giants, highlights his abundant talent.

7

Rustu Recber

1988-2012

In the early 2000s, Rustu Recber was one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in the game. He’d just enjoyed a marvellous World Cup in 2002 where Turkey finished third, and his contract at Fenerbahce had ended.

The Turkish keeper joined Barcelona, rejecting both Arsenal and Manchester United. Unfortunately for the Recber, La Liga had a non-European quota for domestic competitions which limited his involvement to just seven appearances.

Although Recber’s time at Barcelona lasted just one mediocre season, he is the country’s greatest goalkeeper of all time. The Turkish shot-stopper played a record 120 games for his country and conceded less than a goal per game during his club career.

6

Hakan Sukur

Career Span: 1987-2008

The greatest goalscorer in Turkish football, Hakan Sukur racked up an impressive 326 goals and provided 124 assists in 713 games in his domestic career. He scored at a similar rate for his country, where he’s Turkey’s all-time top scorer. He’s remembered by many for scoring the fastest goal in World Cup history, when his strike after just 11 seconds helped his nation win the third-place playoff.

In 2000, Sukur got his big move to Inter Milan, where he scored a few goals but never got a regular start. The Turkish striker was more of an understudy for Christian Vieri and Ronaldo. From Inter, Sukur went on loan to Parma before getting a transfer to Blackburn Rovers.

His time in the Premier League didn’t last long, and he soon ended up back at Galatasaray. Sukur cemented his place in the annals of history as the club’s all-time leading scorer. His total of 249 Super Lig goals still stands to this day.

Australia has a great sporting heritage. They’ve won over 600 medals at the Olympics and been crowned world champions in a range of sports.

While football has often taken a back seat to cricket, both formats of rugby and, of course, Aussie Rules football, the Socceroos have still tasted success of their own. They’ve won four OFC Nations Cups, won the AFC Asian Cup after they switched confederations, and have qualified for every World Cup since 2006.

Participation rates have gone through the roof, with football now the most popular outdoor sport in the country. The A-League, Australia’s top division in domestic football, initially began with just eight teams in 2004. That figure is now 13. Youth development has been a huge focus, with under-23 players accounting for over a third of total minutes played, which has resulted in a wave of player sales that’s seen some club’s transfer income overtake their broadcasting revenue.

Overseas, Australia’s influence has mainly been felt in the Premier League, where more than 50 players from Down Under have featured since 1992. While the league has often been dominated by players from traditional European and South American nations, Australian internationals have steadily carved out their place in English football.

There have been a number of top-quality Australian players over the years, and below are the very best of them.

15

Luke Wilkshire

Career Span: 1998-2018

Wolfgang Rattay via Reuters

Luke Wilkshire enjoyed a long and varied career, earning 78 caps for Australia and representing the Socceroos at two World Cups. It would have been three had then-manager Ange Postecoglou not dropped him on the eve of the tournament.

Wilkshire was a versatile defender, comfortable at right-back or in midfield. He started out in the Premier League with Middlesbrough, before moving to League One with Bristol City. From there, he moved to the Netherlands with FC Twente, before spending six seasons with Dinamo Moscow. It wouldn’t be until his twilight years as a professional that he’d play in Australia, but capped off his career by winning the A-League title with Sydney FC in 2018.

14

Stan Lazaridis

Career Span: 1995-2008

Andy Couldridge via Reuters

A reliable and consistent performer for Australia during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Stan Lazaridis earned 60 caps across a decade-long international career. He was comfortable playing in any position on the left side of the pitch and spent the majority of his club career in England, most notably with West Ham and then Birmingham City, where he became a fan favourite for his work rate and whipped crosses.

One of Lazaridis’ best moments of his career came as a Hammer, when his 35-yard screamer against Newcastle was nominated for Premier League Goal of the Season.

13

Mathew Ryan

Career Span: 2009-Present

Most Australian fans would have thought they’d have to spend a long time scratching around for a top-level goalkeeper after the retirement of Mark Schwartzer, but up stepped Mat Ryan, who’s earned over 100 international caps. He became a mainstay of the national team, taking the captain’s armband and representing his country at multiple World Cups in the process.

After beginning his professional career in the A-League with Central Coast Mariners, he became quite the nomad, playing for 11 teams in seven different European leagues. Most of his time at club level was spent playing for Club Brugge and Brighton, but he’s had time at Arsenal, Valencia and Roma.

12

John Aloisi

Career Span: 1992-2011

Tony O’Brien via Reuters

John Aloisi will forever be remembered for scoring the penalty that sent Australia to the World Cup for the first time in 32 years. It’s a moment that remains one of the most iconic in the country’s sporting history. Across a career spent largely in Europe, he played the bulk of his matches in Spain with Osasuna and Alaves, as well as spells in Serie A and the Premier League, proving himself a capable forward at a solid top-flight level.

In his second to last season as a professional, he won his first trophy, capturing the A-League with Sydney FC in a season where he finished as the league’s fourth top scorer with Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler.

11

Lucas Neill

Career Span: 1995-2014

Lucas Neill was one of Australia’s most dependable defenders during a long international career that saw him earn 97 caps and captain the Socceroos at two World Cups. After starting out at Millwall, he went on to play in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers and West Ham.

Neill was a key part of the Australia side that made history at the 2006 World Cup, helping them reach the knockout stages for the first time, finishing second in a tough group that included Brazil, Croatia and Japan. Sadly for Neill, it was his foul in the 93rd minute that led to their exit from the tournament at the hands of the eventual champions, Italy. The foul was hardly clear-cut, and former FIFA President Sepp Blatter even apologised to Neill and Australia in the months following the tournament.

10

Johnny Warren

Career Span: 1959-1974

Johnny Warren was a true trailblazer for football in Australia. Known as “Captain Socceroo”, he was a key player in the Australia team which qualified for the 1974 World Cup in Germany. An attacking midfielder, Warren was capped 43 times, 24 of which were as captain.

After his playing career ended, Warren embarked on a coaching career and continued to promote the sport as a journalist and commentator, until he passed away in 2004. Much of the success the national side have achieved in recent times can be traced back to Warren, who was inducted into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.

9

Mile Jedinak

Career Span: 2001-2019

Defensive midfielder Mile Jedinak won 79 international caps, scoring 20 goals. He played in three World Cups, captaining the side in 2014 and the Socceroos’ victory in the 2015 Asian Cup. Jeninak was a competitive player with leadership qualities, adept at breaking up the play and protecting the back four. He was also an accomplished penalty taker, scoring all 16 spot kicks during his professional career.

Jedinak spent five years at Crystal Palace, becoming a fan favourite at Selhurst Park. At Palace, he was part of the side which was promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2013. He then went on to establish himself in the English top flight. Jedinak moved to Aston Villa and played for three seasons in the Championship, helping them to win the promotion play-offs in 2019.

8

Brett Emerton

Career Span: 1996-2014

Reliable and durable, Brett Emerton was a key man in the Australian National Team from his initial call-up in 1998 until 2012. He captained the Australian side at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and played in the 2006 World Cup, helping the Socceroos to the knockout stages.

Emerton could play as a full-back or a wide midfielder. After starting his career with Sydney Olympic, he made a move to Europe, where he won a UEFA Cup winners medal in 2002 with Feyenoord, though he missed the final through suspension. After being linked with several clubs, including Newcastle United, Emerton moved to the Premier League, joining Blackburn Rovers in 2003. Emerton clocked up 247 appearances for Blackburn over eight years before returning to Australia with Sydney FC.

7

Craig Johnston

Career Span: 1977-1988

Unlike the other players on this list, Craig Johnston never represented Australia at international level. During the peak years of Johnston’s career in the 1980s, the standard of football in the country was not what it is today. Based in England, Johnston was unwilling to compromise his club career with regular trips to the Southern Hemisphere, and he once described playing football for Australia as to surfing in the UK.

Johnston was born in South Africa to Australian parents and lived in Australia for most of his formative years, before moving to England to join Middlesbrough. Johnston earned a transfer to Liverpool, winning nine major trophies in seven years at the club, including five league titles and the European Cup. He was highly valued at Anfield for his athleticism, work-rate, trickery and creativity.

6

Mark Bresciano

Career Span: 1995-2015

Melbourne-born Mark Breciano was a creative midfielder who represented Parma, Palermo and Lazio in Serie A. Bresciano made 84 appearances for the Australian National Team, scoring 13 goals. He played in three FIFA World Cups and was part of the winning squads at the AFC Asian Cup in 2015 and the OFC Nations Cup in 2004.

Though not a prolific goalscorer, he had a knack for notching important strikes. His goal against Uruguay in the 2006 World Cup qualification play-off sent the match to a penalty shootout. Australia claimed victory to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1974.