Any criticism as a footballer must hurt, particularly when you're a top level one who has won pretty much everything there is to win in the world game.
And then when that criticism comes from one of your heroes then it will hurt even more.
As a fellow Dutchman, Virgil van Dijk would have grown up admiring the displays of Ruud Gullit as he carved out a career as one of world football's very, very best players.
And Dutch legend Gullit will be an admirer of Van Dijk too, one of his predecessors as national team captain.
He just hasn't been of late.
After Liverpool's Champions League humbling at the hands of Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, Gullit - in his role as a pundit on Dutch television - took aim at the displays of Van Dijk, both against Real and in general.
He was ruthless.
“Van Dijk puts his hands behind his back like a speed-skater and he bends his knees like speed-skaters do," said the former Chelsea boss, referencing the way the centre-back opts to close down forwards.
“His body is leaning forward. He kind of kneels down in his moves and only has his hands behind his back so he avoids a handball when the striker shoots.
“That, for me, is too easy - and it looks clumsy.
“When Van Dijk came back after his injury he was defending without aggression. It was passive.
“He stands there like a skater, defending and blocking a bit. He just does not go full on.
“Van Dijk must take much more initiative at the back."
He was required to take the initiative in this dull game at Crystal Palace, and on a night when they did not get anywhere near their cool, calm and collected best, the 'speed skater' ensured that Liverpool at least didn't slip to a defeat.
There were some very, very ordinary performances around the Dutchman, particularly from Naby Keita in the first half and also to Van Dijk's right in defence, where both Joel Matip and in particular Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled.
Not the Dutchman though.
He was strong against Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is a handful if little else, and helped calm a nervy display that seemed to begin where the Real Madrid humbling had ended for Liverpool.
The Reds were poor, dreadful in fact, but if it wasn't for Van Dijk they would certainly have lost this game.
At a time when all around them seem to be losing their heads at the club, he was at least cool and calm, with his full-time frustrations evident as he took Cody Gakpo to task following his disappointing evening.
Van Dijk is still one of this Liverpool side's leaders, and a player they are lucky to have, whatever Gullit and his icy criticism think.
