July 11th 2024.
During England's thrilling victory over the Netherlands in the semi-final of Euro 2024, Denzel Dumfries found himself at the center of a controversial decision. The Dutch defender was not surprised when the referee awarded a penalty against him, but he couldn't help but feel frustrated by the "really annoying" call. Despite this setback, the Three Lions managed to secure their spot in the final against Spain with a 2-1 win in Dortmund.
The match started off with an early lead for the Netherlands, thanks to a goal from Xavi Simons. However, their advantage was short-lived as Harry Kane won a penalty just a few minutes later. The Bayern Munich striker took a shot on goal, which Dumfries attempted to block. Unfortunately, his boot made contact with Kane's studs and the referee initially did not see it as a penalty. But after a VAR intervention, the decision was overturned, and Kane successfully converted the penalty, leveling the score and paving the way for Ollie Watkins' late winner.
For Dumfries, this incident brought back memories of a similar penalty he had given away during the Netherlands' World Cup defeat to Argentina in 2022. While he admitted that his defending may not have been the smartest, he was still frustrated by the decision. "The match against Argentina went through my mind at the time," he said in an interview with Trouw. "I touched Kane on the side. I am someone who always gives 100 percent in defense, but sometimes mistakes happen. It's really annoying, you don't do it on purpose. But you have to keep going."
The defeat was a bitter disappointment for the Dutch team, especially since they had shown great determination and strength throughout the match. The support of their fans, who had traveled in large numbers to Dortmund and the other host cities, was greatly felt by the players. "It felt like unity," Dumfries said. "It was a tough day for us, but we were one. A compliment to the Netherlands."
The controversial penalty decision caused quite a stir, with some questioning whether it was a foul or not. But in the end, does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Former England defender Gary Neville certainly thought so, labeling it a "disgrace" and expressing disbelief that it was overturned by VAR. "As a defender, I think it's an absolute disgrace," he said on ITV. "To have that given against me as a penalty, at any time, but in a game of such importance...It's not a penalty, for me. It's nowhere near a penalty."
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