Liverpool Skipper Looks at Tom Brady & Roger Federer as Role Models for a Genuine Reason

NFL legend Tom Brady isn’t just a football player; he’s a symbol of defying limitations. Besides his countless achievements on the gridiron, he is also known for his decades-long career. As pick No. 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady became the NFL’s most formidable quarterback. His relentless work ethic, meticulous approach to training, and unwavering belief inspire millions across the globe and from other sports, too.

A popular soccer star from Europe has mentioned Tom Brady as an inspiration while putting him at the same level as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He has also explained why he looked up to Brady as a role model.

Van Dijk puts Tom Brady and Roger Federer on the same pedestal

Liverpool FC captain Virgil Van Dijk was interviewed recently at the launch of the LFC X Lebron fashion line. While discussing the collaboration of the two sports brands, the Dutch national soccer team captain also spoke about his role models, naming legends like LeBron James, Djokovic, Federer, and Brady.

He said, “I look at all the top athletes because I feel they all have a big role, either as a role model or for their team and community, and there are so many things you can learn. There’s LeBron, [Novak] Djokovic, Roger Federer, Tom Brady — I could name so many. I like to listen to these guys and learn how they dealt with being at the top and dealing with difficult moments, but also good moments.“

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Brady’s matchless record in the NFL has few parallels. However, the recently retired Roger Federer has had similar accomplishments in tennis, with the most Grand Slam wins till his retirement last year. Van Dijk looks up to them for inspiration and how they dealt with many difficult career moments.

Tom Brady was frustrated while playing against younger athletes

Though Tom Brady didn’t have many hiccups in his 23-year-long career, he did have a moment that kept him frustrated for 23 years. In an episode of the podcast Let’s Go with Roger Staubach and Steve Young, he revealed how playing against young folks kept him frustrated. He said, “The hardest thing for me is the frustration level, I want it so right and when it doesn’t I get so frustrated — that’s probably the hardest battle to fight on a daily basis. You know, ’cause you’re with a 24-year-old, and he’s 24 when I was 24 I didn’t know sh*t either.” It’s hard to imagine Brady saying this, considering he won his first Super Bowl at 26. But Brady overcame this battle regularly, which is probably why sports stars like Van Dijk look up to him for inspiration.

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