Virgil van Dijk has made UEFA Champions League history. The Liverpool captain became the first centre-back to record a hat-trick of assists in a single match.
He achieved this feat during Liverpool’s decisive 6-0 victory over Qarabağ FK at Anfield on January 28, 2026. His precise distribution directly created three goals for his teammates.
The Dutch defender assisted Alexis Mac Allister in the 15th minute. He then set up Hugo Ekitike just before the hour mark. Van Dijk completed his historic treble by providing for Federico Chiesa in the 90th minute.
A unique feat for a defender
This unprecedented assist performance shows the modern defender’s role. Central defenders are traditionally celebrated for stopping goals, not creating them. Van Dijk’s statistical profile this season reveals his all-round game. He maintains a 92.13% passing accuracy across eight Champions League appearances.
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His two assists this season before this match already placed him among the team’s contributors. This historic hat-trick now elevates him to a unique status in the competition’s records.
Virgil van Dijk’s achievement will be recorded as a landmark moment in Champions League history. It talks more about the evolving expectations for elite-level defenders in world football.
