Memphis Depay 'Out Muscled' Adama Traore During Netherlands Draw With Spain

Memphis Depay did the impossible on Wednesday night, during Netherland's 1-1 draw with Spain, knocking Adama Traore off the ball.

Traore has become an extremely well rounded player in recent years but his strength and speed remain his two biggest weapons as it makes him tough to catch and tough to handle if anyone does catch up with him.

To stop opposition players from grabbing on to him, the Wolves winger has even been known to oil up his arms before a game.

That didn't work on Wednesday night though as Depay shocked the Spain winger, and the rest of the world, by cleaning Traore out with a shoulder barge and showing him who's boss.

In fairness to Traore it very much looks like the Lyon forward has very little interest in winning the ball and just wants to take his opponent out, whilst the Wolves man only has eyes for the ball and can rightly be a bit annoyed he wasn't given a free kick.

It was just the former Aston Villa winger's third international cap for Spain having previously been part of a bit of a tug-of-war between the Spanish and Mali football associations.

The 24-year-old had initially declared that he wanted to play for Mali last year but Spain then called him up before he had to drop out of the squad with an injury.

Traore playing against Netherlands on Wednesday. Image: PA Images

In January he said he hadn't yet declared for either but he was again called up for the 2010 World Cup winners in August before dropping out of the squad after a positive Covid-19 test.

He played in the friendly against Portugal in October and his appearance against Switzerland in the Nations Cup later that week ended any issues surrounding which national side he would play for, as his first competitive game.

Whilst a former Manchester United player came up with the most surprising moment of the game on Wednesday, it was a current member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad who came up with the crucial moment.

Sergio Canales gave the away side the lead in the first half but just two minutes after the break Donny van de Beek scored the equaliser for Frank de Boer's side.

Next up for De Boer's side are Nations League games against Bosnia and Poland, with the manager hoping to end a run of four games without a win.

Traore and Luis Enrique's side travel to Switzerland before hosting Germany in their final group game.

Topics: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Football News, Ligue 1, Memphis Depay, Adama Traore, International Football, Premier League, Netherlands, Lyon, Wolves, Spain

Ryan Sidle

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