The fallout from the Netherlands’ semi-final loss to England at the European Championships is still ongoing. John Deksken and Valentine Driesen, two prominent commentators on Dutch television channel SBS, launched a scathing attack on Virgil van Dijk, labeling him a “fake leader”.
The 33-year-old Van Dijk has seen his form fluctuate in recent years, particularly for his national team, and criticism from Dutch fans and media has become commonplace. Over the past two years, Van Dijk has either been forced to respond to criticism from his homeland or repeatedly asserted, “I don’t care about the comments about me”. The criticism has intensified since the start of the European Championships, with his performances failing to meet expectations. This criticism intensified after the Netherlands’ defeat to England in the semi-final, after which Van Dijk hinted at potentially ending his national team career and possibly leaving Liverpool.
The two Dutch pundits expressed no sympathy for Van Dijk, advocating for the Liverpool player’s retirement from international duty. Deksken stated, “I think he’s been terrible. He’s a fake leader, like those empty words”.
Driesen added, “Van Dijk doesn’t control everything, and that’s because he doesn’t want to play the positive, forward-thinking football that the Dutch team needs. On the contrary, he prefers to keep retreating, retreating. He hasn’t been dribbled past in a year, and that’s because he’s always backing up, so he can’t be dribbled past. His statements (about retirement) speak volumes, he’s contemplating leaving Liverpool and the Netherlands. Once that idea is in your head, you have to say goodbye.”
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