Euro 2024: Netherlands skipper Van Dijk says expectations may have been set too high ahead of tournament

Virgil van Dijk believes the Netherlands may have overestimated themselves, heading into the European Championships after barely surviving the group stage where they finished third in Group D behind Austria and France, Soccernet.football reports.

A 3-2 loss to Austria in their final group game cost Ronald Koeman’s Oranje the chance to top a challenging group and instead saw them finish as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.

The Dutch media have fiercely criticized the team’s performances, and Van Dijk suggests that internal expectations might have been set too high.

“Maybe we overestimate ourselves,” Van Dijk told reporters on Friday. “A lot had to be said and we had to analyse a lot. 

“Things went completely wrong against Austria. It was very bad. We have talked about many aspects, now we have to show it.

“It was not the tactics where things went wrong. It was mainly the will to win, to win that second ball. 

“You don’t have to talk about that with the coaches, the players must do that among themselves. So, we have talked about that, with harsh words.”

Van Dijk faced criticism for his performance in the defeat against Austria, and the Liverpool player understands that more will be demanded as the tournament continues.

“I can completely understand the criticism,” he said. “I’m not stupid, I also know that I can do better and that it should be better, and that’s what I’m working on.

“I didn’t play my best game against Austria. It does affect me, I also think that things overall can and should be better. The whole team didn’t run, but I look first at myself. I could have brought much more.”

The Netherlands are due to lock horns with Romania for a place in the quarter-finals come July 2nd at the Fußball Arena in München.