Pierre van Hooijdonk will take over on Wednesday evening Studio Fußball up for Virgil van Dijk. The former attacker of the Dutch team believes it is unjustified that Marco van Basten is continuously critical of the captain of the Dutch national team. Van Basten expressed his criticism after Tuesday's 2-3 defeat against Austria.

“Van Dijk is the captain of the Dutch team. He must provide leadership and is ultimately the one we address,” Van Basten said on Tuesday. Studio Fußball. “He has to organize things much better in these kinds of things. He is the captain, the responsible man and also the great leader of the team. Then you also know that you have to organize these kinds of things better.”

Van Hooijdonk

Van Hooijdonk responded to Van Basten's criticism a day later. “I find this far too easy. Marco's arrows have been aimed at Virgil for five years. It is a pity that he (Van Basten, ed.) is not here, because then it is easier to discuss.”

According to Van Hooijdonk, the current Dutch selection has no real leaders. “This Dutch team has no real leaders, like the 1988 team had, for example,” he refers to the European Championship that was won by the Dutch team at the time. “It does not mean that a band around your arm makes you a leader, like Ronald Koeman and Ruud Gullit were in 1988.”

“We now have a 21-year-old goalkeeper,” Van Hooijdonk refers to Bart Verbruggen. “Nathan Aké has a lot of experience, but is a very introverted boy. Stefan de Vrij and Van Dijk are also not the ones with the biggest mouths.”

“And Lutsharel Geertruida, Jerdy Schouten and Joey Veerman only have a few international matches to their name. And Xavi Simons is still searching and too young to be the leader,” Van Hooijdonk keeps the attacking midfielder out of the wind.

Van Hooijdonk sees Cody Gakpo as a potential leader. “That is possible based on his status and qualities, but Gakpo is a very quiet boy. And Donyell Malen has only just joined the team. Memphis Depay is the boldest, and that is the 'leader',” said the regular analyst of duels of the Dutch team.

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