In Career Mode, van Dijk remains a fantastic signing for teams needing leadership and defensive steel. Although now in his early 30s in FC 26 Coins timeline, his stats remain impressive for several seasons, and his high defensive work rate and leadership trait make him an ideal captain.

For managers starting with Liverpool, building around van Dijk for the first few seasons can stabilize your defense as you invest elsewhere. Even clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Manchester United (with a little negotiation) can prize him away if you’re looking for instant solidity.

If you're playing with dynamic player growth on, you’ll see a gradual decline in physical attributes around 34–35 years of age, but his defensive awareness and positioning will often stay elite longer, meaning he can adapt to a more static, central defensive role even later in his career.

Van Dijk’s standing tackles are almost always clean and powerful. Rarely caught out of position, making him reliable under pressure. Wins headers easily on both ends of the pitch. Boosts morale and defensive organization, especially important in tight matches.

While he has decent pace for a CB, very agile attackers (especially with explosive acceleration) can trouble him if left exposed. Slightly clunky when facing small, quick dribblers in confined spaces but good anticipation usually covers for this.

Virgil van Dijk remains an absolute rock in EA FC 26. His combination of towering physical presence, world-class defending, and intelligent positioning ensures he retains his status among the game’s elite center backs.

Whether you’re a casual player looking for reliability or a competitive gamer seeking the best to anchor your defense, van Dijk delivers. Few defenders offer the complete package he does and in cheap EA FC Coins a meta where defense matters more than ever, having someone like van Dijk could be the difference between conceding a heartbreaking goal and lifting another virtual trophy.