Former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypiä has revealed his pick for the Premier League’s greatest ever defender.
Hyypiä joined Liverpool in 1999 and went to make 318 appearances in the Premier League, playing alongside and against some of the league’s finest. The much-loved Finn was a part of the Reds iconic treble cup-winning side in 2001 and became captain in 2002.
During his time at Anfield, Hyypiä partnered Jamie Carragher in the heart of Liverpool’s defence and shared the pitch with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Nemanja Vidic, but when naming the league’s best ever a more modern great emerged.
In a clip shared by Daily Mail Sport, Hyypiä was asked to pit some of the best ever Premier League defenders against each other and only one stood alone — Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool captain van Dijk is widely regarded as one of the world’s best defenders and a modern Premier League legend. The Dutch international immediately caught the attention of fans, pundits and other clubs with his rock-solid defensive performances upon his arrival in England at Southampton in 2015.
After two-and-a-half seasons at St. Mary’s, a then-record £75 million switch to Liverpool gave van Dijk the chance to prove himself on the biggest stages — just four months after the defender’s arrival, Liverpool lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
In his first full season at Anfield, van Djik became only the third defender to win the Premier League Player of the Season award and also collected the UEFA Player of the Year awards for his performances in Europe, helping Liverpool overcome Tottenham Hotspur to lift the Champions League.
Domestically, van Dijk now has two Premier League titles — the latter as captain — alongside two League Cups and an FA Cup on his résumé.
The 34-year-old epitomises modern defending with his commanding aerial presence, calm distribution, and exceptional positional sense. Renowned for composure under pressure, he combines physical dominance with tactical intelligence, neutralising attackers through anticipation rather than rash tackles.
Virgil van Dijk’s impact at Liverpool and in the Premier League cannot be underestimated and Hyypiä firmly believes he sits at the very top of the list.
