Liverpool: Inside how Premier League-winning stars like Virgil van Dijk recover between games

Liverpool stars such as Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo have opted for new technology in their recovery between huge games.

The demands on professional footballers have grown more intense over the years, meaning proper preparation and rest have grown more important than ever.

For a team like Liverpool, who go far in every competition every season, players can sometimes be asked to play up to three games in seven days, increasing the risk of fatigue and injury.

Wearable devices like WHOOP have entered the market as a gadget to directly combat those problems by tracking health and optimising recovery.

Liverpool’s injury issues have been severe this season, but it not by luck that 34-year-old Van Dijk is yet to miss a single game through issues pertaining to fitness.

How WHOOP assists Virgil van Dijk’s staggering recovery

Football Insider exclusively revealed in January that Liverpool will not sell Van Dijk this summer, with the defender set to see out his contract.

The Netherlands international will go to the World Cup and captain his nation in North America, in yet another example of his ridiculous levels of fitness.

Van Dijk likely will have made 400 appearances for Liverpool by the time he leaves, should he remain a key part of the defence next season.

Considering he spent a season out after tearing his ACL, that would mean the 34-year-old will have made an average of 50 appearances per full campaign during his time at Liverpool.

Few players can claim to have that level of fitness, and WHOOP undoubtedly has a part to play.

A wearable device, WHOOP – which recently announced a long-term partnership with PSG – is worn 24/7 and constantly measures and monitors your sleep, stress, strain, recovery and even more.

With that data, you will receive recommendations to optimise your recovery and preparation, ultimately paving the way for stronger performances and better health.

Van Dijk, as well as other Liverpool stars such as Gakpo, have credited WHOOP with the optimisation of their schedules.

And what’s more incredible is that WHOOP products are available for non-footballers to use, too, to help manage their own lives.

How WHOOP aided Van Dijk’s ACL return

When Van Dijk was ruled out for nine months with an ACL injury in 2020, fans feared the worst.

Would the centre-back come back as the same player? Yes, and emphatically, making 51 appearances as the Reds did the Cup double and came within a whisker of doing the quadruple.

Van Dijk says WHOOP played a part in his recovery, as he sought to come back as soon as possible.

“You’re playing a game every 3 days so you’re doing everything possible in order to be ready,” he explained in 2022, when asked about how he uses the technology.

“If you’re getting that extra information, in this case from WHOOP, it’s just so beneficial. I’m addicted to looking at it in the morning and making sure that I’m doing the right stuff.”

Van Dijk looks set to leave Liverpool in 2027, but he is committed to ending his career on his terms and he is showing no sign of slowing down.

It still feels as if the defender has a final chapter in his career yet, and WHOOP is standing with him, hand-in-hand, as he takes those steps.

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