Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk currently enjoys a tranquil family life alongside his loyal wife Rike Nooitgedagt and their four young children. However, few are aware that he once shattered his happiness by leaving Rike while she was pregnant to pursue Georgie Lyall, an adult film star.
Rike chooses love over career
Van Dijk has recently secured the English League Cup title with Liverpool, following a final showdown against Chelsea where he played the role of hero, scoring the only goal in the final minutes of extra time. Celebrating the victory alongside him were not only his teammates but also his most beloved: his wife and children.
Looking at the radiant happiness of their family of six, few would know that it was once on the brink of breaking apart due to a mistake made during the youthful exuberance of the towering Dutch defender nearly a decade ago.
Rike and Van Dijk met in 2011, when he was playing for Groningen. At that time, Rike worked as a sales director for a small fashion company in the Netherlands. Amidst her busy and opportune career, she decided to resign in 2013 to support her partner, who was moving to Scotland to join Celtic.
“I work as a fashion sales director in the Netherlands. I love my job very much. But I had to give it up to follow the man I love everywhere he wants to go. I enjoy life in Glasgow and am I sad not to return to work? Nowhere, I’m not in a hurry. We want a stable life, but we also accept adventures if Virgil receives a more attractive offer,” Rike shared when she moved to Scotland to live with her partner.
Van Dijk ends relationship with pregnant girlfriend
However, Rike’s choice of love over her career led to a bitter outcome. In June 2014, while pregnant with her first daughter, Nila, she received shocking news. Somehow, Van Dijk, despite being smitten, became infatuated with Georgie Lyall, an adult film actress.
In June 2014, Celtic clinched the top spot in Scotland’s premier league and celebrated their championship. Despite her pregnancy, Rike attended the festivities at Parkhead Stadium to share the joy with her boyfriend. It was there that Van Dijk encountered Lyall, who was six years his senior. Instantly captivated by the blonde actress’s beauty, the towering defender ended his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend to move in with Lyall.
Van Dijk was so enamored with Lyall that he even found her a new job to spare her from adult film roles. Moreover, fearing that his new girlfriend’s profession would affect his own career, the Dutch player planned to move to England to play.
In reality, the British media always delves into the private lives of stars across various newspapers. Therefore, Van Dijk constantly whispered into Lyall’s ear, persuading her to quit her profession and find a more meaningful job.
Witnessing the sincerity of the Dutch defender, Lyall truly quit her job. She bid farewell to adult films to pursue a career in nursing. Lyall even erased all her explicit photos online and staunchly refused tempting offers to return to adult film acting.
“I began working in the adult entertainment industry at a relatively young age and achieved what I wanted. Transitioning away from this profession was not a sudden or hasty decision. Approaching the age of 30, I felt it was time to settle down and establish a family, as well as pursue a more meaningful career,” Lyall shared about the reasons for leaving the adult film industry.”
Returning to seek forgiveness from a loved one
However, the relationship with Lyall quickly came to an end just as it had begun. After cohabitating for approximately three months, cultural differences, interests, and personalities led Van Dijk to realize that his feelings for the actress were merely fleeting emotions. He was drawn to the novelty and vibrant lifestyle of Lyall.
Meanwhile, Rike suffered immense pain since being betrayed by Van Dijk. She continuously had to witness images of her partner and his new flame plastered across various newspapers in Scotland. Sometimes it was photos revealing intimate text messages between the two, while other times it was Van Dijk coming and going from hotels with Lyall.
Rike was so distraught that she even experienced premature labor due to the stress. It wasn’t until then that Van Dijk realized the extent of his wrongdoing. Coupled with his cooled emotions towards Lyall, Van Dijk returned, begging for forgiveness and promising never to repeat his mistakes. Because their unborn child had yet to be born and because Rike still deeply loved Van Dijk, she accepted his apology. About a week later, they reconciled, and Rike gave birth to their first daughter, Nila, earlier than expected, by about two weeks.
In hindsight, Van Dijk has shared that it was only through Rike’s forgiveness that he was able to find his way back to his longtime girlfriend. The couple got married in 2017. Before officially moving in together, Rike gave birth to their second daughter, Jadi, in 2016.
As of now, the couple has added two more children to their family and lives happily in Merseyside. After the storm, the rainbow appeared. While Van Dijk achieved success on the field, Rike also thrived in her business endeavors, becoming a strong support for her husband.