Denzel Dumfries is happy that Willem van Hanegem regularly stood up for him in the past. However, the Internazionale right-back has never doubted himself and is proud of his dream transfer to the current leader of the Serie A. “Sometimes in a career the real appreciation is long gone,” said Dumfries.
Van Hanegem wrote in his column for the General Newspaper even that Dumfries with Stefan de Vrij were the best internationals of 2021. “Of course I got that,” says Dumfries. “It is very nice that someone with such a track record does that. Many people had their doubts, but not with Willem van Hanegem. Before the European Championship I saw a list and I was there with the doubts. Then I thought: I’ve been there for three years. Why should I still be in doubt?”
The right back made the step from the Eredivisie to Serie A last summer and is now of great value for his goals and assists. i Nerazzurri “I’ll be honest, when I signed my contract with Inter, I thought for a moment: I did that despite the fact that so many people didn’t believe in me,” continues Dumfries. “I really think that a lot of talent is lost in the Netherlands because of a certain view on football players. They just don’t see the potential, especially with defenders.”
“But I never gave up,” said Dumfries. “I felt more sorry for those people themselves because they had such a limited vision. You can learn so much.” And the defender under Simone Inzaghi is still learning every day. “If the ball was on the left in the Netherlands, I would come in. Forbidden at Inter. Stay wide, they say here. But you pick up things and that also says something. But indeed, sometimes in a career the real appreciation is long gone.”