Sometimes it’s a dangerous game being a pundit and Rafael van der Vaart found that out earlier this year when he stated Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch was better than Jude Bellingham.
It’s a statement he’s sticking by, though, and one he is feeling far more confident about than he once was.
That’s at least according to his latest comments, via FC Update, in which he continues to back Gravenberch to star for Liverpool and prove him right.
The Dutch midfielder has been the undisputed success story of this season so far for Liverpool, establishing himself as their new defensive midfielder in Arne Slot’s team.
The Liverpool manager didn’t hesitate to put Gravenberch into the role after the failed signing of Martin Zubimendi this summer and has been rewarded for his faith, with the 22-year-old adapting to the role quickly.
It’s also restarted his career, which had been somewhat stalling after a bright start at Ajax was diminished by his struggles at Bayern Munich.
Van der Vaart had never doubted the midfielder’s abilities and is now being rewarded for that faith in the Liverpool star.
“Even then it was about the potential of both players. I think at that moment people thought I should be committed to an asylum. But I still believe in what I said then,” he said regarding that comparison to Bellingham.
“I became convinced of Gravenberch’s enormous potential during his Champions League matches with Ajax. The ease with which he, as a young boy, reached that level was sensational.
“His ball handling, the way he kept turning away, accelerating and creating a surplus against top opponents, the high pace that didn’t seem to bother him: everything appealed to me about his game.
“Within a few games, Gravenberch was a kind of king in Liverpool and took a starting place in the Dutch national team.”
