Former Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Baart labels England a “s*** team” after the Three Lions overcame Oranje 2-1 in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
Former Netherlands playmaker Rafael van der Vaart delivered a damning assessment of England following Wednesday’s Euro 2024 semi-final, labelling the Three Lions a “s***” team.
Bidding to reach their first major tournament final since finishing as runners-up to Spain at the 2010 World Cup, Ronald Koeman‘s men were in the ascendancy in the early exchanges of their encounter with the Three Lions.
Just seven minutes into Wednesday’s semi-final at the Signal Iduna Park, Declan Rice was caught in possession by Xavi Simons, who burst forward and fired a rocket into the top corner, despite Jordan Pickford getting a fingertip to his strike.
However, England’s response to going a goal down was a positive one, and Harry Kane drew the Three Lions level from the spot just 11 minutes later, but the awarding of the penalty was highly controversial.
Dutch boss Koeman responded by sacrificing injured attacker Memphis Depay for midfielder Joey Veerman, after which the Netherlands tightened up and also enjoyed the better of the action in the second half.
Van der Vaart: ‘What a s*** team England are’
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The Euro 1988 winners could not make their dominance count, though, and as the clock struck 90, Ollie Watkins found the far side of the net from a tight angle to sensationally send England into Sunday’s final against Spain.
There was a consensus that England’s performance on Wednesday was their best at the Euros so far, as they won in 90 minutes for the first time since their opening success over Serbia, although the Netherlands did limit their opportunities in the second half before Watkins fired home.
However, Van der Vaart – who made 109 appearances for the Netherlands during his distinguished career – claimed in no unspoken terms that Gareth Southgate‘s men did not play well in Dortmund when speaking to NOS.
“What a s*** team they are. Slowly, they didn’t want to do anything anymore. They have such top players on the field. We didn’t do much either. We had a few chances. There could have been so much more in it,” The Mirror quotes Van der Vaart as saying.
Either side of Simons’s stunner and Watkins’s winner, referee Felix Zwayer was at the centre of attention, questionably awarding England a penalty when Denzel Dumfries caught Kane as the England captain sent a volley over the bar.
Ex-Netherlands striker claims referee should be “blacklisted”
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Zwayer initially waved away England’s appeals, but he changed his mind after a check of the pitchside monitor, and ex-Three Lions right-back Gary Neville labelled the referee’s decision a “disgrace”.
Koeman and Virgil van Dijk also slammed the penalty call post-match, while former Netherlands attacker Pierre van Hooijdonk went one step further in his criticism of referee Zwayer, who was implicated in the 2005 German football match-fixing scandal.
“They can thank Felix Zwayer. He really needs to be blacklisted. Terrible. Also in the second half. A duel with Cody Gakpo where he simply blew his whistle again, ten meters from the linesman. Those are moments that were crucial in this match,” the 54-year-old added.
As England gear up to meet Spain in Sunday’s tantalising final in Berlin, the Netherlands will pack their bags and make the short trip home, as there is no third-placed playoff at the Euros.
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