The Netherlands are still undefeated at the 2022 World Cup and are in the quarter-finals. Not everyone in their home country likes their style of play – but criticism of Elftal bounces off.
“Total Voetbal” describes a football style that was developed in the 1970s by Ajax Amsterdam and the Dutch national team. It was considered revolutionary at the time. It is characterized by pronounced athleticism, constant position changes, strong technique, a high level of understanding of the game, fast, direct play and the fact that the whole team attacks and defends together.
In the Netherlands the “total football“Not only since the times of Johan Cruyff as the basis of the 4-3-3 system that is still popular today and as an ideal that must also be emulated in modern times.
So far a pragmatic 2022 World Cup in the Netherlands
Oranje, meanwhile, will perform very differently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Spectacle? None! “Total Voetbal“Maybe it comes from a different time, in the modern age the football practiced in the last century would probably no longer be up to date, but the Oranje fans would like a little more joy in the game.
Under coach Louis van Gaal, Elftal maintains a sober, pragmatic and efficient style. Although the Netherlands picked up seven points against Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar in Group A and beat the USA 3-1 in the round of 16, the longing for the “nice game” big in neighboring Germany – and so was the criticism.
Van Gaal: Dispute with a journalist
Already after the last preliminary round game, the meager 2-0 win against Qatar, van Gaal replied to a journalist who criticized the Dutch style of play: “You probably watch football differently than I do.” To the reporter’s reply that he was a “soccer lover” replied the Bonds coach: “Then write that you find everything stupid and drive homet.” The objection “I booked through to the final” finally countered the 71-year-old: “Then you see us.”
Harsh criticism from van Basten
Discussions at home continued even after the win against the USA in the Round of 16. “Two great goals, the rest is to cry“, grumbled legend Marco van Basten, the leader of the 1988 generation of European champions: “As a football lover, I asked myself: What am I watching? zero initiative.”
The Dutch daily newspaper “NRC” complained “Polder catenaccio instead of ‘Voetbal Totaal‘. The national team had their “Image abandoned“.
Already in 2014 there was resentment
However, Coach van Gaal is known for not being bothered by these nagging. Already at the 2014 World Cup – during his second term as Bonds coach – there had been strong expressions of displeasure with his style of play. At that time, shortly before the tournament in Brazil, he deviated from the “sacred” and proven 4-3-3 system, which caused harsh reactions at home and was even called “mortal sin” had been titled.
Van Gaal didn’t care about the displeasure at the time. He did his thing, didn’t let anyone get in the way, and led his side to the semi-finals, only to lose to Argentina on penalties. In the match for third place, the Netherlands won 3-0 against Brazil.
On a mission at the 2022 World Cup
And he doesn’t care about the criticism any more than he did then. Van Gaal believes he is on a mission with his team in Qatar and everything is going according to plan so far. In any case, the results are correct. The Netherlands have not lost a game since returning as Bonds coach in September 2021. In 19 games under van Gaal, 14 wins were achieved and five matches ended in a draw. And his team is also on course for the 2022 World Cup.
With counter-football to the title
He has a plan. And this is: With both conservative and effective counter-football to the title, instead of dying in beauty. “I’m not saying we’ll be world champions, but we can be world champions“, he looked ahead. His players are completely convinced of his system.
Dumfries thinks playstyle makes sense
“When you have such fast players up front, it makes sense to play on the counterattack“says Denzel Dumfries, who was outstanding against the USA.
So far, however, the team has also been buoyed by outstanding individual performances – such as Dumfries, who scored one goal and initiated two more against the North Americans. He also had the most ball contacts of his team. The Inter Milan professional tirelessly boosted the Dutch offensive.
Van Gaal kisses Dumfries
The 26-year-old was correspondingly happy after the game. “It was maybe my best game ever“, said Dumfries. There was also a very special reward for Dumfries: Van Gaal kissed him on the cheek at the press conference.
Dumfries criticized after USA game
Argentina is now waiting in the World Cup quarter-finals (December 9, 2022, 8 p.m.). Individual strokes of genius will probably not be enough there, a collective increase in performance will be necessary to get into the semifinals. After all, Dumfries had already warned after the USA game. “If we play like that against the best teams, it won’t go well.”
But the USA game can also serve as an encouragement. Before the first goal, the Dutch made a fantastic 22 passes, including Dumfries’ final pass, only Argentina managed two more from the 2006 World Cup record.
“The perfect goal“, Klaasen enthused. “We showed all facets of our system‘ rejoiced Dumfries. It was a goal of the mark’Total Voetbal“. Just like you want to see it a lot more often in the home country of Elftal. Preferably against Argentina again.