Wantaway Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has come under fierce criticism in his native Netherlands following the national team’s World Cup Round of 32 exit against Morocco at the Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe on Tuesday morning.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf accused national team captain Van Dijk and head coach Ronald Koeman of abandoning the country’s attacking football identity with an overly defensive approach, while calling for both men to step aside, claiming the Liverpool defender has “had his time.”
In his defence, Van Dijk described it as a hard-luck defeat and insisted the team stuck to its game plan.
“An intense match. I think we were well organised defensively. They basically couldn't find the open man between the lines, so the game plan worked. I think we scored a good goal. Ultimately, in injury time, you get pushed back. Then it goes to penalties; unfortunately, we get knocked out,” Van Dijk said.
Another Liverpool star, Cody Gakpo, gave the Oranje the lead in the 72nd minute in what looked set to be a victory for the Dutch. However, Morocco’s Issa Diop equalised with a stoppage-time header, forcing the match into extra time and eventually penalties.
The defeat has sparked major backlash, with questions now being raised about the future of both the Netherlands captain and head coach, as their North American World Cup campaign ended in disappointment.