European Football Championship: Children’s art and BVB double packer: Oranje dreams at the title venue

At the site of the greatest triumph, Dortmund’s double-packer Donyell Malen took the Oranje party to the next level. In Munich, where national coach Ronald Koeman became European champion as a player 36 years ago, the Dutch national football team shot itself back into the circle of tournament favorites with a 3-0 (1-0) win against Romania. “Our mission here is to become European champions. We are a strong team, we have the quality,” said defender Denzel Dumfries.

“To the left! To the right!” – the fans in the stands were shaken out of their sadness after the 2:3 defeat against Austria by the goals of Cody Gakpo and the BVB striker. They were boisterously jumping their European Championship dance. “That’s our level,” said Koeman after an “extraordinary performance” by his team. “But if you let up at that level, you won’t make it to the final.” The quarter-final opponent on Saturday in the Berlin final stadium is Turkey, who beat Austria 2:1.

“Great time” – repeat requested

The dream of a second national team title for the three-time World Cup runner-up is still alive. “We have great talent in the team,” said the 61-year-old. “Of course, you have to win something.” The Elftal only did that once: On June 25, 1988, Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten shot the team, including the feared defender Koeman, to a 2-0 win against the then Soviet Union.

“It was a great time,” said Koeman. Back then, they also had the necessary luck. This time, at least in the round of 16, Koeman was able to count a letter and a picture drawn by his grandson as a lucky charm for the present.

At the Olympic Stadium, the venue of the final, from which the association released short films with photos from the round of 16, the supporters began their atmospheric fan march before the Romania match. “People compare it with 1988, but that was a different kind of football,” emphasised Koeman. Today it is more physical, faster and the technical level is also very high. You can also see in the current finals that every team has its problems in progressing in the changed world of football.

Utilisation of opportunities as a problem

“It’s great because it means you can see good football matches,” said Koeman. One problem for the Dutch: converting chances. Before substitute Malen scored in the closing stages – and in the middle of Romanian goalkeeper Florin Nita cleaning up after a pair of sneakers on the pitch – Gakpo & Co. had missed numerous scoring opportunities. “We’re not quite where we want to be yet,” said Liverpool striker Gakpo after his country’s first quarter-final since 2008.

Despite a select offensive, the current generation, including Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt, who was not used in this tournament and is a potential candidate for sale, does not have a world-class striker like van Basten. The conversion of chances remains a sticking point. But it is a lot of fun to watch Xavi Simons, Gakpo and Malen whirl around the side at the former workplace of their often admired wing colleague Arjen Robben.

Praise for Koeman

“My team did very well,” said Koeman. He himself was also praised after much criticism. “Ronald Koeman is giving the Dutch a footing again,” wrote the football magazine “Voetbal International”. “The end result is of course always the most important thing,” said Koeman. “But we are Dutch and in Holland we have to play well and show attacking football. But winning is the most difficult thing.” Koeman has been the coach of the national team since January 2023, succeeding Louis van Gaal.

A change is never easy, said Gakpo, who was honored as player of the match. “Every coach has a different style. We’ve been working on it for a year and a half. Now we’re at the point where we can say that things are going well.” Will it get any better? Koeman hopes so – and after a difficult season for him, he uses the Liverpool striker as a benchmark for his teammates.

Gakpo as a benchmark

“He is playing the tournament at a great level. Perhaps he is the most important player so far. I hope that the others will reach his level,” said the national coach. At least in terms of scoring goals, Malen surpassed his offensive colleague this time. He celebrated in the stadium of the big Bundesliga rival FC Bayern. Malen was absent due to injury from BVB’s 2-0 win in March.

“He’s a great guy. But I think all of our reserve players have the quality to turn a game like that around,” said Inter Milan professional Dumfries. “Now we’re concentrating on the next game – but there’s an even bigger goal.” On the way there, the fans at home are happy again. “The Dutch team has exchanged the mask of helplessness for a fresh, blushing face,” the daily newspaper “de Volkskrant” put it.