Memphis Depay has everything to be the leader of the Dutch during the European Championship, according to Wesley Sneijder. The former midfielder experienced the 27-year-old attacker when he just entered the Dutch national team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “Since then, he has become a lot more complete as a football player and, partly due to his faith, a lot calmer as a person,” says Sneijder in conversation with The Telegraph.
“He has what it takes to be the leader of the Dutch, because otherwise you will not become the captain of Olympique Lyon. But now that the tournament starts, he has to get up and take the team by the hand,” says Sneijder. The record international of the Dutch national team says he recognizes himself somewhat in Depay. “I didn’t feel any pressure either, just wanted to have fun just like him. And football is the best thing there is. Memphis also radiates that the ball makes him happy.”
“Memphis can make it difficult for any defender,” Sneijder continues. “He has good individual action and scoring ability. But the best thing about him is that he can let others play football better and that’s why I have high expectations of him this European Championship. I really hope he will live up to them and grant him that, because Memphis is a very good boy.”
Valentijn Driessen mentions Depay in an analysis for The Telegraph the ‘only hope in the Dutch’s uncertain European Championship adventure’. “The only player who can make the difference – Depay – is crying out for a free role in the striker. But the national coach is not heard,” Driessen writes. He points out that at De Boer tactics are more important than the internationals and calls the current state of affairs ‘God bless the grip’, something that ‘can just go wrong. “Just not for Memphis. With its individual quality, it stands above all parties, above all systems and above all national coaches. He is the only hope in the Dutch’s uncertain European Championship adventure.”
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