Virgil van Dijk believes the Netherlands could have overestimated their qualities forward of Euro 2024, having scraped via Group D in third behind Austria and France.
A 3-2 defeat to Austria of their ultimate group sport noticed Ronald Koeman’s Oranje go up the chance to high a troublesome pool and as a substitute end as one of many event’s greatest third-placed groups.
That would find yourself benefitting the aspect as they’ve landed on the other aspect of the draw to Germany, Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium.
The Oranje got a 5.1% likelihood of profitable the event by the Opta supercomputer earlier than a ball was kicked, however their hopes at the moment are estimated at 7% forward of their last-16 tie with Romania.
The staff’s performances have been fiercely criticised by the Dutch media, and Van Dijk says inside expectations could have been too excessive.
“Perhaps we overestimate ourselves,” Van Dijk advised reporters on Friday. “Quite a bit needed to be mentioned and we needed to analyse so much.
“Issues went fully unsuitable in opposition to Austria. It was very dangerous. We now have talked about many points, now we now have to point out it.
“It was not the ways the place issues went unsuitable. It was primarily the need to win, to win that second ball.
“You don’t have to speak about that with the coaches, the gamers should try this amongst themselves. So, we now have talked about that, with harsh phrases.”
Netherlands 2-3 Austria
After a back-and-forth thriller, Austria win Group D – simply as all of us drew it up, proper?#NEDAUT #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/bF9lN2lXOp
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 25, 2024
Van Dijk’s personal efficiency was criticised following the Austria defeat, and the Liverpool man is aware of extra might be required because the event progresses.
“I can fully perceive the criticism,” he mentioned. “I’m not silly, I additionally know that I can do higher and that it needs to be higher, and that’s what I’m engaged on.
“I didn’t play my greatest sport in opposition to Austria. It does have an effect on me, I additionally assume that issues total can and needs to be higher. The entire staff didn’t run, however I look first at myself. I may have introduced far more.”