‘He kicks someone and still remains cute’


Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 11:52 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 23:55

The analysts of Studio Football are impressed by Tyrell Malacia. The left back of Feyenoord is described by Ibrahim Afellay as a ‘pit bull’ that wingers do not like to face. The sharpness of Malacia has also been noticed by Rafael van der Vaart, while Arno Vermeulen sees the best left back for the Dutch national team in Malacia. Not only the footballing qualities of Malacia, but also his character can charm the analysts.

“You get so much sympathy for that boy. He is always cheerful and positive,” says Van der Vaart after Feyenoord’s 1-3 victory over Fortuna Sittard. Van der Vaart agrees. “He has a nice face. He gives someone a kick and walks away cute. ‘Nice guy!’, I think. He is also so sharp. I can’t remember when we had a left back in the Netherlands who tackles so sharply Oh, I forget Royston Drenthe. He didn’t want to play as a left back at Real Madrid, but he had exactly what Malacia also has. That is very annoying to play against as a winger.”

Commentator Arno Vermeulen of the NOS points out that Malacia is also very self-critical. “In interviews, for example, he says that he can still improve his mentality. I think he is a boy with a lot of learning capacity. As a trainer you can give him things and he wants to do something with them. He really won the sprint between a number of potential left backs of the Dutch national team.” According to Van der Vaart, Malacia is currently one step ahead of Owen Wijndal of AZ, one of the other left backs who hopes for a base place with the the Dutch squad in the run-up to the World Cup.

“I feel Malacia is ahead,” says Van der Vaart, who mentions an intervention by Malacia in Thursday’s Conference League match against Olympique Marseille. With a flawless tackle, he prevented a great chance for Bamba Dieng in the 3rd penalty area. -3. “With that he proved to me that it really is a topper.” Afellay thinks Malacia has an edge over Wijndal because he ‘save himself defensively’. “The only thing he needs to add to his game is to stay calm. Now and then he makes choices at two hundred kilometers per hour. Now and then stay a little calmer and play a little simpler. Then this boy can really take another step.”