Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 21:22• Mart Oude Nijeweeme

After the elimination of the Dutch national team at the European championship, players and analysts are looking for an explanation. Wesley Sneijder was deeply disappointed with Georginio Wijnaldum’s performance, while Johan Derksen strongly criticized Memphis Depay. Theo Janssen tries to get something positive out of it and saw one of the few bright spots in Denzel Dumfries in the lost eighth final against the Czech Republic (0-2). “He has been the most important man of the Dutch national team. The whole tournament.”

Just like in the group matches against North Macedonia, Ukraine and Austria, Dumfries was again frequently found in the enemy penalty area against the Czech Republic. The right back broke through on the right side shortly before half-time and came face to face with Tomás Vaclík, but barely saw the Czech goalkeeper save before the the Dutch could become really dangerous. “That was actually the most striking player again tonight, Dumfries. He made running actions…”, says Wesley Sneijder after the game in the studio of the NOS.

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“It says enough that Dumfries is the most important man at the Dutch”, Janssen adds to his colleague analyst. “Dumfries is a great player and must also be a boy who plays a six every game or maybe a little higher once, but he has been the most important man of the Dutch national team. The whole tournament. I think that says enough.” Dumfries scored against Ukraine and North Macedonia and, thanks to his strong performances at the European Championship, can probably prepare for a transfer this summer.

“The Netherlands did not build up from the first minute,” Janssen continues. “They were continuously locked up and the Czechs did that very well of course. They fixed it and thus ensured that the the Dutch did not play football. And the boys who have to make the difference, such as Frenkie, do not come to the ball “Then you get a long ball on Dumfries and then you figure it out. That’s what we saw the whole game. We have definitely not been dominant in possession.”

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