Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has revealed his desire to be better than centre-back partner Virgil Van Dijk.
Konate has been Van Dijk’s partner in Liverpool’s defense since his €40m arrival from Red Bull Leipzig in the summer of 2021
When the Frenchman arrived, the latter was already a guaranteed starter for Jurgen Klopp’s side and since Joran Henderson left for Saudi Arabia this summer, he has inherited the captain’s armband.
He is likely to start opposite team-mate Van Dijk when France face the Netherlands on Friday and Konate has set himself the target of “getting better” than his Liverpool partner.
“Very few defenders have managed to do what Van Dijk has done. He is a great defender, from whom I am learning a lot. Now, my goal, and he knows this, is to become better than him. Sergio Ramos, whom I followed a lot, was my No. 1 role model,” said the Frenchman.
The match between the two teams takes place on Friday starting at 20:45.
