Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk showered praises on captain Jordan Henderson and claimed that he is the perfect role model for youngsters.

The Dutchman spoke highly of the midfielder’s selflessness on and off the pitch. He also shed light on how Henderson is skilled at handling responsibilities.

“If any young player wants to follow an example, it should be him,” Van Dijk told ESPN.

“He is a fantastic leader who everyone respects so much at Liverpool, and I’m very happy that he is my captain.

“As a person, Hendo is one of the most fantastic [people] you can ever meet. He has been putting the team before himself for years.

“What I like is that he uses everything he has experienced – the lows, the criticism, the trouble with injuries – to help others through similar situations.

“What he does gets overlooked because people think you wear the armband to look good in it and shout a lot and that’s the job done.

“There is so much responsibility on the pitch and off the pitch: you have to think about everyone else before you get to yourself and Hendo is very skilled at that.”