July 6th 2024.
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk knows that facing England in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 will be no easy task, but he and his team are determined to make their dreams of becoming European champions a reality. After a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Turkey in Berlin, Ronald Koeman's side secured their spot in the semi-finals, setting up an exciting clash with England.
Van Dijk reflected on their comeback win against Turkey, praising the team's determination and teamwork. "We gave it our all, with tackles and saves. Now it's time to rest and prepare for another tough match against England on Wednesday," he said. "We're all working towards the same goal and we're one step closer to achieving it."
Meanwhile, Koeman also acknowledged the challenge ahead, but expressed confidence in his team's abilities. "England has great players, but so do we," he said. "No one expected us to make it this far, but if we continue to play well, we have a chance to win two more games and make history."
The Dutch team's striker, Wout Weghorst, could hardly contain his excitement for the upcoming match against England. "It's going to be a fantastic game. I can't wait. I wish it was tomorrow already," he exclaimed.
The Netherlands' journey to the semi-finals has not been an easy one, as they only made it to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place teams in Group D. But they have proven their strength by defeating Slovakia in the last-16 and coming from behind to beat Turkey in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on their performance against Turkey, Koeman shared, "It was a great team effort. We started off strong, but they adjusted and defended well. We had to find different ways to break through their defense, but eventually we did. It was an emotional match, but our team showed a lot of heart and determination."
The Dutch manager also expressed pride in his team's achievements, especially as a small nation compared to the other semi-finalists, England, France, and Spain. "For our whole nation, this is something special. We may not have the same resources as other countries, but we showed that we have the heart and the talent to compete at this level," he said.
In the end, Koeman was pleased with the team's performance and the opportunity to play in the semi-finals. "It was a tough match, but there are no easy games in football. We had to fight for this win, and it's a great success to reach the semi-finals," he concluded.
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