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'I wished him strength and said that he had done well': Holland captain Virgil van Dijk embraces tearful referee whose mother recently passed away after securing Nations League draw with Germany.

Holland captain Virgil van Dijk consoled a tearful referee at the end of his side's thrilling match with Germany after learning that the official's mother had died.

TV cameras captured the touching moment between Van Dijk and referee Ovidiu Hategan in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Monday evening after the defender secured a draw for his side.

As his Holland team-mates were celebrating around him, Van Dijk was seen walking over to the match official, who had gone about his work despite the recent bereavement.

Hategan's mother had passed away in the build up to Monday night's fixture, and Van Dijk wanted to share a few words of comfort after the referee shared his grief.

The pair exchanged words, before Van Dijk put his arm around the match official and pulled him into a tight embrace.

'He told me his mom recently passed away. He broke down and started crying. I consoled him and told him he refereed well. Its a small thing, but I hope it helped,' Van Dijk said in the aftermath of the game.

'I wished him strength and said that he had done well.'

Hategan, a 38-year-old Romanian referee hailing from Arad, became a FIFA-standard official in 2008.

I do like Van Dijk's personality he has matured into the top defender we knew he could in his time with us. His on field performances have been that of a leader and Klopp has a difficult choice to make in the next few months in persevering with a current Captain who when our team is fit is likely to be on the bench or to hand the Captain's armband to the most obvious current candidate who is a mainstay of the team?

Last night's touching act by Van Dijk only goes to show he has fortitude in abundance and will endear him further with his peers in the game. Well done Virgil and RIP to the Ref's Mum!

Amen

I can't see Klopp changing captains until Henderson leaves, continental managers do not generally give the same importance to captains compared to English managers. Also, VvD is a leader anyways, he's doing really well, so we don't want anything to affect his performances, so why make him captain and put the pressure on him? let Hendo do it from the bench!