West Ham United midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, has singled out Liverpool's stalwart defender and captain, Virgil Van Dijk, as the toughest defender he has encountered in his career thus far.
The Ghana star openly expressed his admiration for the Netherlands centre-back during an interview on Iron Cast podcast.
Reflecting on his most challenging rival, Kudus remarked, "Obviously Van Dijk, I played against him in the Champions League, both home and away. He's the hardest opponent I have faced. Strong, fast, and he wins all the duels. Yes, he tries to get into your head."
The Ghanaian midfielder had two memorable clashes with Van Dijk during his tenure at Ajax when they squared off against Liverpool in the group stage of the Champions League.
While Liverpool emerged victorious on both occasions, Kudus etched his mark in the first encounter at Anfield.
Kudus unleashed a thunderous strike into the top of the net, leveling the score after Mohamed Salah's initial breakthrough. The match seemed destined for a draw until Joel Matip delivered a late winner for Liverpool.
In a parallel face-off at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, Liverpool clinched a comfortable 3-0 triumph. Kudus entered the fray in the second half but failed to make a substantial impact.