Ruud Gullit, the Netherlands captain, has slammed Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, saying he “has no leadership abilities.”
The Netherlands had a catastrophic conclusion to their 2023 UEFA Nations League campaign, losing back-to-back games to Croatia and Italy to finish fourth in that league. Returning head coach Ronald Koeman has already lost three of his four games in charge, and Gullit believes he is being let down by purported on-field leaders such as Van Dijk – who wears the armband – and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
WHAT THEY SAID: Dutch legend Gullit has told De Telegraaf: “I think Van Dijk and De Jong don’t have leadership skills. Actually, I’m asking them for something they don’t have. They need more attention to their own game. It’s difficult for a coach to work without leaders on the pitch and it’s supposed to be that Van Dijk and De Jong should be those leaders.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: It is not the first time that Van Dijk’s captaincy has been called into question, with Marco van Basten branding him “arrogant” and accusing the Liverpool star of creating “chaos” during a 4-0 defeat to France in March.
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WHAT NEXT? Van Dijk, who is now 31 years of age, has taken in 58 appearances for his country and will be hoping that a spark can be rediscovered under his leadership – on the back of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup – when the Netherlands return to action in Euro 2024 qualification.
