Steven Bergwijn issues scathing response to Netherlands snub with ex-Tottenham forward telling Ronald Koeman that Saudi Pro League is 'better' than Eredivisie

Bergwijn, a former Tottenham Hotspur winger, made headlines earlier in the summer transfer window when he completed a £17.7 million ($23.32m) move from Ajax to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. Subsequently, he was chopped off from the Dutch Nations League squad despite being a key part of the Netherlands squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 just a few months ago.

Koeman didn’t hold back in his criticism of Bergwijn's decision to move to the Saudi Pro League and announced that the forward would not be called up for the national team as long as he is in charge. According to Koeman, the move to Saudi Arabia signalled a step down in the quality of football that Bergwijn would be playing, and the Dutch coach believes that players in top European leagues are better suited to representing the national team on the international stage.

Bergwijn was interviewed by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, where he expressed his frustration with how the situation had been handled.

"I don’t even want to play for this manager anymore," Bergwijn said, making it clear that his relationship with Koeman is at an all-time low.

"I won’t play for someone who portrays me like he has done in the media. He could have called me to hear my side of the story. How can he say such things without talking to me? If he had been a committed national coach, he would have called me first. Now I had to hear it from the TV. I have also experienced many beautiful moments with the national coach, but I am disappointed in him. I have always considered it an honour to play for the Dutch national team. But under this national coach, I no longer want to do that."

When asked about the motivation behind his decision to join Al Ittihad, Bergwijn rejected the idea that his transfer was purely driven by financial incentives.

"It is a golden opportunity in terms of sport and finance," he said. "With a salary that I could never have dreamed of earning as a little boy. I can assure him [Koeman] that the competition in Saudi Arabia is better than the one in the Netherlands."

As Bergwijn’s public dispute with Koeman unfolds, the Netherlands national team is gearing up for two important UEFA Nations League matches. The Oranje will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Eindhoven on Saturday before facing a high-stakes encounter against Germany on September 10.