Featured Image Credit: NRK TV - X/JamesWathland
Topics: Netherlands, Poland, Euro 2024
Jack Kenmare
A moment from the Volksparkstadion dugout during Sunday afternoon's Euro 2024 group stage clash between the Netherlands and Poland has gone viral.
Ronald Koeman's side secured all three points in their Group D opener thanks to a late strike from former Manchester United loanee Wout Weghorst.
It was a far-from-convincing performance from the Dutch, who went behind early on after Adam Buka found the net.
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But goals from Cody Gakpo and Weghorst gave one of the tournament favourites a 2-1 victory in Hamburg ahead of upcoming games against France and Austria.
Away from the action and an incident broadcast on Norwegian TV channel NRK TV has gone viral online.
As you can see from the footage below, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman surprised a commentator during the segment as the camera panned towards their dugout.
Koeman thinks his side are contenders at this summer's tournament.
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"In my opinion, there is not a big favourite, maybe the French team a little bit more than the rest because they have a lot of experience, they have won already big tournaments," he said in a press conference.
"But I think it will be an open fight between different nations – and one of them is Holland."
Virgil van Dijk, who will captain his country in the coming weeks, added: "There are obviously very good teams around, obviously France, Germany, Portugal, England. But I think at a tournament, it can be totally different.
"Hopefully we can be at our best and be up there. That’s the aim and that’s what we’re going to fight for."
Netherlands will face France next – a game Van Dijk knows will be difficult.
"France are always tough," he told UEFA. "They obviously have the individual quality to punish you immediately if you make just one mistake, but we also know that if we are 100% and defend and attack well as a team, we can also make it difficult for France. And anything can happen, especially in a major tournament."
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Van Dijk added: "Will I prepare differently for taking on Kylian Mbappe? Not really.
"It doesn't matter who you play against; you prepare yourself. You know what to expect a bit: the way the opponents play, what they like, what they're good at, and what they're less good at, but that applies to every team and not just France or Mbappé. In the end, it's about defending together as a team."