Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk will consider his future for both club and country over the next few weeks as he processes the disappointment of semi-final elimination at the European Championship on Wednesday, he said.
Van Dijk, who turned 33 on Monday, said he would spend the next weeks figuring out his next career steps after nine years, and 75 caps, in the Netherlands team, plus with a single season left on his contract at Liverpool.
“I haven’t the slightest idea right now. I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player. Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this,” Van Dijk told reporters after England beat the Dutch 2-1 to advance to Sunday’s final against Spain.
“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over,” said Van Dijk, who had felt the Dutch were well placed to win the semi-final at the BVB Stadion.
“Especially in the second half I had the feeling the outcome would fall our way. But (Ollie) Watkins was perhaps given a little too much space and he finished well,” he added of the England substitute’s goal seconds into stoppage time.
“It hurts a lot that we conceded this goal so late in the match and are now empty-handed. You put everything into it, everyone gives everything and if the goal comes like that in the last minute, that just sucks. Yes ... sorry.”
Van Nistelrooy returns to Man United as assistant to Ten Hag
Manchester United have appointed their former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy as an assistant to manager Erik ten Hag in another move they hope will restore the record 20-times English champions to former glories. Rene Hake was also hired in an assistant role to complete an all-Dutch managerial team.
Ten Hag has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Premier League club until 2026 despite a poor season in which United finished eighth in the standings. “Now is a good time to refresh the coaching team as we look to build on the achievements of the past two years and push to the next level,” Ten Hag said in a statement.
The 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy scored 95 goals in 150 Premier League appearances for United between 2001 and 2006 and is the team’s top Champions League scorer with 35 goals. He netted 35 goals in 70 appearances for the Netherlands. Van Nistelrooy guided PSV Eindhoven to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie and a Dutch Cup triumph in 2022-23.
“Together with Erik, we are working to strengthen all areas of our men’s first-team operations, and refreshing the coaching staff is an important part of that,” United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth said.
“It’s a particular pleasure to welcome Ruud back to the club where he enjoyed so much success as a player, and I know that he and Rene will help reinforce the winning mentality and high standards we are aiming for.” Hake has coached a number of teams in the Netherlands for the past 20 years. Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy have both left the Old Trafford coaching staff. United’s Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek has completed a permanent move to Spanish Liga club Girona.
Netherlands' defender Virgil van Dijk. (AFP)
