Virgil van Dijk’s wife, Rike Nooitgedagt, made a heartfelt sacrifice to support his football career: “I loved it, but I had to quit.”
The couple, who began dating in their hometown of Breda during their youth, have been together through Virgil’s rise to stardom.
Rike was thriving in her role managing fashion sales when Virgil’s football career began to take off. However, when he moved to Scotland to join Celtic, she chose to leave her job to support him.
“In my role as a sales manager, I sold various fashion brands to stores across the Netherlands,” Rike shared in 2019. “Although I loved my work, I had to give it up to follow Virgil wherever football took him.”
She added, “So far, it’s been an amazing journey, and we’ve enjoyed it together, along with our lovely dog.”
Their story continued to flourish as they became parents, welcoming their first daughter, Nila, in 2014, followed by their second daughter, Jadi, in 2016. Rike’s unwavering support has been a cornerstone of their family’s success and happiness.
