Midfield duo silence the doubters
The Netherlands produced a ruthless display on Wednesday night, dismantled Greece in a one-sided Nations League encounter. Veerman was at the heart of everything positive for the hosts, dictating the tempo and threading passes through the Greek defence with ease. The performance served as a definitive answer to those who questioned whether he and De Jong could coexist in Xavi's starting line-up.
Speaking after the final whistle, the Dortmund midfielder laughed off the long-standing debate regarding his compatibility with the Barcelona man. The two creative forces had rarely shared the pitch as a starting pair until now, but their telepathy in Amsterdam suggested that the concerns were largely unfounded. "Yes, if you never try it, you won't know either," Veerman told ESPN Netherlands. "It happened for the first time today. He is 29 and I am almost 28 years old. It took a while, but it was good, certainly. Everyone always has an opinion about it, but I wouldn't really know why it wouldn't be possible? He can play those balls too and we are both comfortable on the ball. Of course you can play together then. I always thought it was a strange discussion."
A gala performance in Amsterdam
The Dutch side were in clinical form from the first whistle, showcasing a fluid attacking style that the Greeks simply could not contain. Veerman’s vision was instrumental in opening up space for the Oranje attackers, who frequently exploited the gaps behind the Greek defensive line. The scoreline reflected a gulf in class that left the visitors reeling throughout the ninety minutes of play.
Reflecting on the nature of the victory, Veerman acknowledged that the team reached a very high level of performance during the opening period. "A gala performance? I think we showed some very good football in the first half. So you could say that, yes. We had a lot of people running behind the last line and we had players who can give that ball and also played it. That is very important. I think we made a few great goals. And we have fun when we are on the pitch. That is just important."
Respect for the opponent
Despite the lopsided result, Veerman was careful not to dismiss the quality of the Greek side, who had previously caused problems for Europe’s elite. He noted that the Netherlands had learned from previous mistakes and were fully prepared for the challenge this time around. The focus remained on their own execution rather than the perceived weakness of the team they were facing in the Nations League clash.
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"No, it wasn't down to the opponent," the midfielder insisted. "The last time we were blown away by the Greeks and they won against and drew against Germany. They have done well, but we were the better team today."
Redemption and the road to Berlin
The attention now turns to a massive showdown against Germany on Monday. For Veerman, the trip to Berlin holds a certain level of personal significance, given his difficult experience at Euro 2024 when he was substituted early against Austria in that very city. However, the playmaker is adamant that those memories have no bearing on his current mindset or his expectations for the upcoming high-stakes match.
"Whether we are going to do it again on Monday? I hope so. That would be nice, yes, also personally. I will meet some teammates again then. And we want to measure ourselves against those kinds of opponents. Yes, it is in Berlin. That is a beautiful stadium. Whether memories come up then? No, certainly not. I have been able to leave that European Championship behind me. You could see that today."