The Dutch national team’s major successes are almost always associated with great strikers or midfielders who also liked to attack. Johan Cruyff, later Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Ruud van Nistelrooy or most recently Robin van Persie, the record goalscorer, and Arjen Robben. Less so with great defenders, although of course there have been those in the country’s football history.
But captivating offensive play is something of an obligation for the Elftal, as Ronald Koeman, the former defensive specialist of the team that won the country’s only title to date at the 1988 European Championship, knows. “We are Dutch, we have to play beautifully and show attacking football,” said the national coach after reaching the quarter-finals of the European Championship in Berlin, where the Elftal will face Turkey this Saturday. His facial expression, however, suggested that he would agree with this to a certain extent, because beautiful does not always mean successful.
The problem for the Netherlands, however, is that the team did not play well or particularly well until their 3-0 win against Romania in the round of 16 on Tuesday, and ended the group phase with a defeat against Austria. From this game, says Cody Gakpo, “we learned our lessons.”
This includes a few minor changes with Xavi Simons as an additional midfielder on the pitch and the determination of two strikers who gave their sometimes overly playful teammates a little lesson. Gakpo did this in Munich as Arjen Rollen had done in the same arena, only from the other side, he cut in from the left and scored the early and redeeming 1-0.
Tournament Player Reputation
Before the start of the European Championship, Memphis Depay or Xavi, players who love the spectacle, were more in the spotlight than Gakpo, who has had a difficult year at Liverpool FC. In the first half of the season, he was not used regularly under coach Jürgen Klopp. Things only improved in the spring. “Sometimes you have a bad run, such moments and phases are part of it,” said the 25-year-old, who left his hometown club PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 to try the next step in his career in the Premier League. But in Liverpool he faces top-class competition.
Gakpo had previously played a very decent World Cup in Qatar, being his team’s top scorer with three goals. He has also scored three times at this European Championship, and is at the top of the scorers’ list along with Jamal Musiala and two players who are no longer in the tournament. Because he scored half of his goals in 28 international matches at a finals, he earned the reputation of being a tournament player. Despite the difficult season in England, he is “very important” to Koeman because he is confident on the ball and plays physically. “He is one of the players with special qualities and fortunately he makes the difference in moments like these.”
Two men, three goals: The Dutch Donyell Malen and Cody Gakpo (sitting) celebrate each other.Reuters
If there was anything to criticize in this match, said Koeman, it was the lack of effectiveness. “It took us too long to make it 2-0.” It was only in the closing stages that Donyell Malen was on hand in front of the goal when Gakpo had elegantly pushed through and passed into the middle. Shortly afterwards, the Borussia Dortmund striker also completed a solo run across half the field without any fuss. “I was very relieved after my goal, because in games like this you never know. If you don’t take your chances, crazy things can happen,” said Malen.
“That is the level”
His story at this European Championship is also a bit like that of his team. Like the striker, the Elftal didn’t really get going in the group phase, then there was a faux pas against Austria, his own goal led to the defeat that brought the team a lot of criticism at home in the Netherlands. Koeman left out the previously weak Malen from the starting eleven on Tuesday, preferring the physically unfit Steven Bergwijn, but he had to make a substitution after the break. Malen took the opportunity to recommend himself for a place against Turkey on Saturday.
“That’s the level we have to play at,” said Koeman, looking ahead to the quarter-finals. He wasn’t just referring to Malen, but to the entire team. Consistency has not been the Dutch team’s greatest strength at this European Championship. For Gakpo, these fluctuations are no surprise. Koeman tried a new style of play after his return as national coach at the beginning of 2023, and they also have to get used to a new coach. “That takes time,” said the striker. “There are still pieces of the puzzle missing, but they are coming.” Tuesday’s match was “already a small statement.”
The national coach, however, is already two steps ahead in his thinking. “If we let up, we won’t make it to the final,” he said. But first his team has to assert itself in the quarter-finals against Turkey. A team that fights with the same passion as the Romanians did in this tournament, but has greater individual quality. It is probably better to avoid too many frills and instead play with determination.
