November 13th 2024.
Nick Olij and Jan Paul van Hecke, two talented Dutch football players, couldn't resist sharing a joke at the expense of Erling Haaland. The incident took place during the Netherlands' training camp for the upcoming Nations League matches against Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Dutch team, led by coach Ronald Koeman, is currently ranked second in their group, just behind Germany.
Jan Paul van Hecke, who has been impressing everyone with his performances for Brighton's defense this season, joined the national team this week. His stellar contribution in Brighton's 2-1 win over Manchester City left a lasting impression on his fellow countrymen. The match saw Haaland score a scruffy goal, but Brighton responded with two goals from Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley to secure a victory.
Despite being partly responsible for Haaland's goal, Van Hecke showed remarkable resilience and made crucial interceptions to keep the Premier League champions at bay. However, in the dying moments of the game, Haaland's frustration boiled over and he lashed out at Van Hecke, resulting in a heated scuffle between the two players.
But Van Hecke is not the type to boast about getting the better of one of the world's best strikers. However, Nick Olij, who plays for Sparta Rotterdam, couldn't resist poking fun at his former NAC Breda teammate. When they were reunited at the training camp, Olij playfully asked Van Hecke about Haaland, while rifling through his pockets.
Although Olij received his first call-up to the national team last year, he is yet to make his debut. On the other hand, Van Hecke made his debut in September against Germany, coming on as a substitute for Matthijs de Ligt.
After the scuffle with Haaland, Van Hecke engaged in a conversation with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Later, he revealed that they were discussing the foul that occurred in the box towards the end of the match. Guardiola congratulated Van Hecke and asked him about the incident, to which the defender responded with respect and admiration for the City team. Guardiola also praised Van Hecke for his strong performance against Haaland and the entire Brighton team.
In response to Guardiola's comments, Van Hecke explained that Haaland was strong and he had to stand up to him, not let him go to the ground. He also added that he only has respect for Guardiola, who is a great manager. The match between Brighton and Manchester City may have ended in a loss for the Premier League champions, but it was a proud moment for Van Hecke to have caught the attention of Guardiola and his teammates.
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