Marco van Basten enjoyed Cody Gakpo's performance against Romania (0-3 win). The analyst of the NOS saw the left winger of the Dutch national team claim the absolute star role together with Donyell Malen.

“The best on the field? Malen, who scores twice as a substitute, and Gakpo was of course decisive. I would name those two first,” said Van Basten. Gakpo scored the beautiful first goal and prepared the second goal with an assist from the back line.

After the match against France (0-0), Van Basten was critical of Gakpo, who let a moment pass to give a back heel to Jeremie Frimpong. The latter would therefore be left unmarked.

“But the man learns quickly,” Van Basten said after the match against Romania. “The man really learns quickly. It was this moment against France where I said: he has to chop it now. He didn't.”

“But today he's on the ball,” says Van Basten, who saw Gakpo give a backheel to Joey Veerman at the right moment. “Hoppa, and he has to make this with the inside of his foot. But the man learns quickly, that's very nice to see.”

Situation 1: Gakpo fails to set Frimpong free with a back heel against France. Situation 2: Gakpo delivers the perfect back heel to Veerman against Romania.

Bart Vriends, who is also present in the talk show NOS Studio Footballis impressed by Gakpo. “With Gakpo, every ball he gets on the left side of the field is dangerous, because he can pass inside with his right leg,” says Vriends, who moved from Sparta Rotterdam to Adelaide United.

On the right, the Netherlands does not have a player like Gakpo, Vriends sees. “It is a shame that we do not have that on the other side. That would give us an extra weapon. There are five or six players who could play there, but we would rather not.”

Van Basten: “You actually need a left-footer, right?” Vriends: “Yes, but we just don't have one at the moment.”

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