Virgil van Dijk hits back at 'false' claims of Louis van Gaal protest

Liverpool centre back Virgil van Dijk was left fuming after reports emerged in the media suggesting he was the driving force behind a protest from the Netherlands squad towards the proposed return of manager Louis van Gaal.

Former boss Frank de Boer left his position after the frustrating Euro 2020 exit at the hands of the Czech Republic in the last 16, and Van Gaal has been suggested as a possible replacement after supposedly being convinced to come out of retirement.

That's all well and good, but The Mirror brought us a bit of drama by alleging that Van Dijk had been trying to fight the appointment, making a scene alongside Georginio Wijnaldum in an attempt to block the move for Van Gaal.

Well, the story found its way to Van Dijk, and the Liverpool man was not impressed.

"This story is completely false," he wrote on Twitter. "It’s never been more important for journalists to tell the truth and not just make stuff up. Shame on you."

The drama lasted a little over an hour, but social media is still getting a good laugh out of the whole thing now.

Whether Van Gaal will actually return to the Netherlands is unclear. He was adamant that he had retired after his departure from Manchester United in 2016, but has since changed his tune and left the door open to a return to his country.

"I have been in contact with [Van Gaal]," NOS journalist Arno Vermeulen said in 2020. "He says 'If they approach me, I will seriously think about it'. Actually, he opens the door and is one of the candidates to become national coach."

He had been tipped to take over from Ronald Koeman last year after the latter's move to Barcelona, and the rumours have returned following the departure of De Boer this time around.

Van Gaal has spent two separate spells with the Dutch team. He struggled between 2000 and 2002, failing to qualify for the World Cup, but led the Oranje to third in the 2014 World Cup in his second spell in change.