Euro 2024: Van Dijk Appears to Claim That Referee ‘Robbed’ Netherlands in Semifinal Tie vs England
- Virgil van Dijk was left frustrated after the Netherlands were dumped out of the 2024 Euros after losing to England in the semi-finals on Wednesday
- The Dutch captain appeared to suggest that the 1988 European champions were 'robbed' by German referee Felix Zwayer at Signal Iduna Park
- The 2-1 loss to the Three Lions means the Oranje have not been to the final in almost four decades despite making four semi-final berths, including 2024
Netherlands captain, Virgil van Dijk, expressed his frustration, suggesting his side was 'robbed' after their semi-final clash with England at the soon-to-end 2024 UEFA European Championship.
Van Dijk, who has been a stalwart in defense for the Dutch, couldn't prevent the Three Lions from staging another comeback to reach the final.
Source: UGC
Despite an underwhelming group stage performance that saw them advance as one of the best third-placed teams, the Oranje found their stride in the knockout stages.
They comfortably defeated Romania 3-0 in the Round of 16 and overcame a goal deficit to beat surprise package Turkey in the quarter-finals.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
However, their journey ended in the semi-finals as England mounted a spirited fightback.
A controversial Harry Kane penalty equalised Xavi Simons' screamer before substitute Ollie Watkins scored deep into stoppage time, securing Gareth Southgate's men a 2-1 victory at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, per the BBC.
While England celebrated their triumph, the Dutch were left lamenting a missed opportunity.
The turning point was the contentious Kane penalty in the first half, which sparked significant controversy.
Van Dijk appears to claim Netherlands were 'robbed'
Reflecting on the match, Van Dijk suggested that referee Felix Zwayer's performance was subpar and hinted that the official hurried to the dressing room after the game to avoid confrontations with players.
"The match referee ran straight into the dressing room after the end of the match. This gives you an idea of what happened today," he told reporters, as quoted by Football Tweet.
Why England were awarded controversial penalty
In a related report, Legit.ng disclosed that former England defender Jamie Carragher disapproved of England's penalty call in their 2-1 victory against the Netherlands.
The ex-Liverpool defender claims the Three Lions should not have been awarded the penalty after Harry Kane appeared to have been brought down by Denzel Dumfries.
However, the referee's decision to award England a penalty has been affirmed as the correct decision according to the FIFA rules.
PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters!
Source: YEN.com.gh
