Dutch outlets made their verdict crystal clear after Virgil van Dijk’s underwhelming performance in the Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Malta on Thursday night. Despite a dominant team display — with Cody Gakpo netting twice from the spot and goals from Tijjani Reijnders and Memphis Depay — it was the captain’s struggles that stole the headlines.
As Ronald Koeman’s men gear up for next summer’s World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, questions are emerging over Van Dijk’s form. Once the rock of the Oranje defence, the 34-year-old’s recent outing showed rare signs of vulnerability, prompting criticism from the Dutch press.
Football Oranje gave Van Dijk a 5/10, calling it “not his finest night” after a sloppy back pass and unnecessary yellow card. Voetbal Primeur went even lower with a 4.5/10, accusing him of “nonchalance” and weakness, while Voetbal Zone rated him a 4/10 and Voetbal International a 5.5/10. By comparison, Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber and Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven were hailed as the future of the Dutch back line.
Pundits like Rafael van der Vaart and Pierre van Hooijdonk also voiced their frustrations, but Van Dijk wasn’t having it. Speaking to Voetbal Flitsen, he fired back:
“The guys in the studio know how difficult this can be have they forgotten that?”
The Liverpool star stood firm in defence of his team, adding:
“We’re on course for the World Cup. It’s not always pretty, but it works and sometimes, that’s all that matters.”
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