John Arne Riise is remembered as one of football’s most dynamic left-backs.
Known for his marauding runs down the flank, his thunderous left foot, and his fearless attacking instincts, Riise brought an offensive edge to the full-back role that was ahead of its time.
The Norwegian began has career in his homeland before a switch to Monaco in 1998, winning the French Division 1, now Ligue 1, in 2000.
However, a £4 million transfer to Liverpool in 2001 kick-started Riise’s career, quickly becoming a favourite of amongst fans of both the Reds and the Premier League with refreshing attacking play from left-back.
A Champions League triumph in 2005 was followed up by an FA Cup victory a year later, in what was the most successful part of Riise’s career.
Despite an illustrious career that included ten clubs, 754 appearances and 65 goals, Riise recently admitted that there was one teammate he would have loved to play alongside — Virgil van Dijk.
“I would love to have played with Virgil Van Dijk. I would have loved to have him next to me, even though I loved playing with Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypiä.”
Riise’s admiration for van Dijk is rooted in the Dutchman’s defensive prowess. The Liverpool captain is widely regarded as one of the most complete defenders in modern football; calm under pressure, commanding in the air, and exceptional at organising a backline.
For full-backs like Riise, such a presence allows for greater freedom to attack, knowing that the defensive structure behind them is rock-solid.
During his own time at Anfield, Riise benefited from playing alongside defensive stalwarts like Sami Hyypiä, Jamie Carragher, and Daniel Agger, admitting that he was “very lucky” to know the defence was in safe hands.
Yet, Riise believes that van Dijk represents a level of support and leadership that could have taken his own game to a new level.
“Playing with Van Dijk would have been awesome. Having him next to me would have allowed me to cheat a bit more going forward, and he could have just covered me more. Yeah, he would have been unbelievable to play with.
Virgil is on another level. His ability to read the game, organize the defence, and anticipate danger is incredible. Having him next to me would have been unbelievable.”
The combination of Riise’s attacking instincts with van Dijk’s defensive mastery paints a tantalising picture. Riise surging forward on the left wing, delivering precise crosses, taking long-range shots, and linking up with forwards, all while van Dijk calmly marshals the backline.
It is the perfect blend of offensive freedom and defensive security a formula that epitomises modern football, where full-backs are expected to be as influential in attack as they are in defence.
Riise achieved a lot throughout his career, but the thought of pairing his relentless energy and attacking instincts with a defender of Virgil van Dijk’s stature remains an irresistible ‘what if’ for the legendary Norwegian.
