Pascal Struijk was in the pre-selection of the Dutch for the first time in his career prior to the last international match. Although the 23-year-old left leg of Leeds United did not survive the selection, he was flattered by the interest from the Dutch national team. Football zone visited the defender to talk about his chances in the Dutch, his leisure activities in the ‘industrial city’ Leeds, Dutch friends and contacts in the Premier League and his past at Ajax.
Struijk had the choice to play for the Dutch national team or on behalf of Belgium and he hesitated for a long time about the decision. In September, the defender, who was included in the pre-selection of the Dutch by national coach Louis van Gaal, said that he would play for the Netherlands if that opportunity would arise. Unfortunately for Struijk, he did not make the final selection for the Nations League matches. “I just found out through the official list,” Struijk recalls. “Normally you are not called personally. I’ve also never spoken to Van Gaal before; I only spoke to the team manager (Fernando Arrabal, ed.). He informed me and spoke to me to ask a few things: how I am doing, if I am fit and a little about the situation with Belgium. They did not specify what position they had in mind for me. I think they just determined where I would fit best based on videos. Lately I always play as a left back, but before that always as a left center defender. I also played as a defensive midfielder for a while, but to be honest that is not the ideal position for me.”
????? Pascal Struijk seems to have made a choice for which national team he will play for. “If I’m in that selection, it’s always my first choice.”
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) September 11, 2022
“I immediately indicated that I would choose the Netherlands anyway and not Belgium, even if I did not make the final selection. I’m not going to change my mind anymore. That would not be reasonable for the Dutch, but also not for Belgium. That’s not how it works. When Belgium came in the beginning it was very new and interesting and I definitely wanted to see what I could do with it. Now I have made a clear choice and I have not spoken with Belgium since the first contact. The situation was not easy at that time and I have now indicated what I want. Everyone is at peace with that. With a view to the Dutch it is an advantage that I am left-footed, but it remains busy at the back of the Netherlands. They’re all good players, so it’s tough. Who knows. If I keep working hard, I might go far.”
If you score again against Arsenal next weekend, you will go to Qatar
“Haha no. To be honest, I haven’t really thought about the Dutch since the last time,” Struijk continues. “I’m just trying to focus on how I play at Leeds. As long as I give it my all and I play well, the future will tell. So I try not to think about the Dutch, because that will also be distracting. But if I score against Arsenal this weekend, that’s a bonus of course, haha!” Last weekend, the left-back scored the opening goal in the Premier League game against Crystal Palace, which eventually went on to win 2-1. It was Struijk’s third goal in 74 official games in the Leeds shirt. “Nice to score, but sour that it ends this way.”
Pascal Struijk is delirious with joy after his goal against Crystal Palace
The former Ajax player admits to be disappointed if he does not go to the 2022 World Cup, but it is not must to be part of the final selection. “The chance that I will be with Oranje? I don’t know. The most important thing is that I stay fit. You see at Martins Indi: he was injured in an unfortunate way and because of that he can’t be there. I have to wait for my chances and I will in any case try to ensure that the national coach has to make a difficult choice. If I’m not there now, I’m of course disappointed, but it doesn’t feel like I have to be there. It’s Van Gaal’s choice in the end and of course it doesn’t feel like I’ve been wronged if I don’t make it. Of course, he also bases his choices on what he has already seen. He has also been able to see new players during the last international match. I don’t know. If I don’t make it, I’m at peace with it and then I will do my best to make it difficult for the national coach for the European Championship 2024.”
One of the competitors in the left back position at the Dutch is Tyrell Malacia, who made the switch from Feyenoord to Manchester United last transfer period. Although Manchester is relatively close to Leeds and Struijk previously played together with Malacia, they have not spoken since the summer. “He does live not far from here, but I haven’t actually spoken to him yet. It’s funny, because we played U17 together in the Netherlands. I would like to speak to him after matches, for example, and ask how he is doing there in Manchester. The same goes for Sven (Botman, ed.), with whom I played football in the youth of Ajax. I am very curious how he did in France and how he feels to be in Newcastle now. It’s funny to run into former colleagues who also ended up in the Premier League. It takes some getting used to for everyone, but I really think this is the best competition.”
Pascal Struijk in his period at Ajax Under 19
Before his move to Leeds in January 2018, Struijk played for Ajax Under 19. “I played there with Matthijs de Ligt, Danilho Doekhi, Navajo Bakboord, Noa Lang, Justin Kluivert, Dani de Wit, Kaj Sierhuis, Zian Flemming and Mees. the White. Sometimes I still have contact with them, but I don’t speak to everyone much. I’m not very good at keeping in touch via WhatsApp to be honest, because I don’t spend much time on my phone.” There was one teammate who at that time stood head and shoulders above the rest of Ajax Under 19 in Struijk’s eyes: De Ligt. “He is really the best I played with then. He was much too good for that age and he was soon in the first team of Ajax. In terms of qualities on the ball and physically, he was really one step ahead of us all. I hardly ever stood next to him in the center. I think I was only next to him once against Spain Under 17 (at the European Championship 2016, ed.).”
Struijk indicates that he is very happy in Leeds and that he does not intend to leave for the time being. He also enjoys himself very well outside the training sessions and competitions. “I have to get out of that ‘soccer bubble’ every now and then to clear my head. Leeds itself is a nice city. If you’ve just come here, it’s different if you’re used to Rotterdam or Amsterdam, because it’s an industrial city. But the longer you stay there, the more you love the city and people. In the summer I played golf a lot and now I am picking up padel. We now have a group of guys who have qualities, haha. Rasmus Kristensen, Illan (Meslier, ed.) and me. We are looking for a fourth player, but now we also play with our fitness coach Pierre (Barrieu, ed.). It’s really competitive, but we have to make sure we don’t get injured. If we were to get injured, they would really go crazy at the club. We try to keep it somewhat calm.”
Struijk, who still has an ongoing commitment until mid-2024, hopes that the Whites ultimately willing to renew the contract. In the past transfer summer, Junior Firpo was brought from Barcelona to Leeds for approximately fifteen million euros to compete with Struijk, but so far Firpo has not yet played due to a knee injury. The left back is now on his way back, although Struijk is not yet afraid for his place in the team. “Will his return change my situation? For now it creates extra pressure, because if I don’t play well I’ll lose my place. I do think it’s good for me, because it also keeps me sharp. I don’t know who’s going to play and I don’t know what the coach wants. My goal, of course, is to give him no choice but to draft me. If in the end the choice does not fall on me, I can always go to the center. In any case, I’m really enjoying my time at Leeds for now and it would be nice if they were willing to extend my contract. I feel good here and I focus on Leeds”, concludes Struijk.