Valentijn Driessen cannot understand why national team coach Xavi Hernández left Wout Weghorst out of the Netherlands squad again on Friday. The FC Twente striker has been in excellent form for two months, yet has missed out on the upcoming internationals against Greece and Germany.
During September's international break, the first under Xavi, Weghorst also missed out on a call-up. He was going through a less productive spell then, but has since made his case with goals and strong performances.
Speaking on De Telegraaf's Kick-off podcast, Valentijn Driessen questioned Xavi's decision. "What more does the lad have to do? He's top of the goalscoring charts, scores great goals and drives the team forward," said the journalist, who believes Weghorst deserves another chance.
For Driessen, the decision suggests Weghorst is not the type of striker Xavi wants. "You can clearly see that Xavi doesn't fancy that kind of player," he concluded. "But current form is also important for the Netherlands, particularly during the qualifying campaign."
Xavi also overlooked Weghorst last time. "He was going through a slightly poorer spell then, and Zirkzee came in when Brobbey dropped out," Driessen recalled. Mike Verweij added that Weghorst therefore appeared to be "fifth choice in the end" in the pecking order.
Despite Weghorst's impressive performances for FC Twente, Xavi has picked Brian Brobbey, Donyell Malen and Mexx Meerdink for the striker position instead.
After scoring four goals against Excelsior in a 0-9 win last Sunday, Weghorst remained non-committal when asked about a possible return to the Netherlands squad. "I'm going for a shower," the striker told ESPN.