Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk showed off a new look as he reported for international duty for the Netherlands, just moments before it was confirmed he had pulled out of the squad

Virgil van Dijk has debuted a striking new hairstyle, drawing widespread admiration from fans. The Liverpool skipper marshalled his side to a commanding 3-1 triumph over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Strikes from Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak secured a relatively straightforward victory for the Reds, before Eddie Nketiah netted a consolation in stoppage time.

The result propelled Liverpool up to fourth in the Premier League table ahead of the international break. Van Dijk linked up with the Netherlands squad, who face Greece on Friday in Amsterdam before heading to Germany to take on Jurgen Klopp's side the following Monday in the Nations League.

Just a few hours after being pictured arriving for his country's training camp though, the Dutch FA announced that Van Dijk had pulled out of the squad, with the defender not ‘fit enough to feature’.

Van Dijk is understood to have been playing with a minor issue in recent weeks, having featured in all but one of Liverpool’s games so far this season.

Despite carrying a knock, the 35-year-old did meet up with the rest of the Netherlands squad, with cameras capturing the moment he arrived at the country’s training camp on Monday.

It seems one of the defender's first ports of call upon returning to his homeland was a visit to the hairdressers. On Monday, Van Dijk posted a series of photographs to his Instagram page, pictured in a barber's chair sporting fresh cornrows.

It marks a notable change for Van Dijk, who has predominantly worn his hair tied back in a bun throughout his time at Anfield. The post has generated considerable buzz, amassing more than 40,000 likes alongside hundreds of comments.

Among those to respond were Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and Dutch international teammate Denzel Dumfries, both of whom left a fire emoji. Van Dijk's wife Rike also chipped in with a heart emoji.

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Numerous supporters voiced their approval of his fresh appearance. One commented: "I absolutely love this." Another remarked: "Finally our captain switched looks."

A third stated: "Boss lad." A fourth enthused: "Your style game is next level!"

One fan jokingly suggested Van Dijk had "copied" the style of Jeremy Jacquet, his center-back partner at Liverpool.

Liverpool will hope Van Dijk is fit enough for action after the international break, with the Reds due to return against Manchester United on November 22 - by which time the Old Trafford club looks set to have a new manager.