Netherlands skipper Van Dijk understands criticism of his team at Euro 2024

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the critiques aimed at his team during the European Championship and agreed with some of the feedback, despite the Dutch securing four points out of a possible six in Group D.

In their first game in Hamburg, the Dutch narrowly defeated Poland 2-1 and narrowly avoided defeat against France in their second match in Leipzig, settling for a 0-0 draw.

Van Dijk informed reporters, "We played well for 60 minutes against Poland and had numerous opportunities. However, we were also under pressure. Against France, we were more organized as a team.

"Maintaining a clean sheet against the World Cup runners-up is positive. However, our ball possession was lacking."

Following the match against France, the Netherlands team faced criticism from TV analysts and newspaper writers, but Van Dijk remained unfazed by the negative feedback.

He stated, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and that's acceptable. It doesn't affect me; it's part of football. If it did bother me, I would lead a very unpleasant life.

"Expectations are high, both internally and externally. We have a strong team; I genuinely believe that. We aim to demonstrate our capabilities in significant matches. After the France game, we, as players, openly discussed what areas need improvement.

"We have the potential to perform better than we did against France. There is still room for growth in this European Championship."

The Dutch, who are likely to progress to the round of 16, will conclude their group stage against Austria in Berlin on Tuesday.