Van de Ven Reflects on Performance Amidst Netherlands’ Frustrating Match

The 24-year-old defender made a notable impact during the Netherlands’ challenging match against Poland. In the 17th minute, he skillfully regained possession deep in his own half and embarked on an impressive dribble down the field, evading several challenges before ultimately winning a free kick in the attacking third.

This moment drew immediate comparisons to Van de Ven’s remarkable solo effort for his club just a week prior. Journalists inquired whether he believed he could replicate that extraordinary goal, to which the agile defender, playing as a left-back under Ronald Koeman, humbly admitted it would be difficult to surpass his previous achievement against the Danish champions.

Van de Ven described the reaction to his goal as “chaos”, sharing that he received an overwhelming number of messages post-match. When asked about the possibility of recreating that memorable moment, he remarked, “That would have been nice, wouldn’t it? At one point, when that guy made that sliding tackle, I thought: ‘I can keep going.’ But it was challenging to maintain that pace. A better goal than the last one will be tough.”

He further elaborated, stating, “It went viral. It was chaos. It exploded. I got it sent to me by all sorts of people, which was quite nice.”

In his critique of the Netherlands’ performance in Warsaw, Van de Ven did not hold back. The team fell behind after a Jakub Kaminski goal in the 43rd minute but quickly responded in the second half when Memphis Depay converted a rebound following a saved header from Donyell Malen. Despite controlling 58% of possession, the Netherlands struggled to create significant chances, with Poland recording 14 shots compared to their six. Van de Ven acknowledged that the team was too slow in their buildup.

“I think we played with too little tempo,” he stated. “There were few deep runs and few moments where we created anything.”

Although primarily playing as a central defender for his club, Van de Ven has often been utilized as a left-back in Koeman’s lineup. Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber partnered with Virgil van Dijk in central defense during the match against Poland, while Nathan Ake, Mathis de Ligt, and Jan Paul van Hecke all began the game on the bench, showcasing the depth and quality of the Netherlands’ squad. Van de Ven expressed contentment with his role on the left flank, asserting, “As far as I know, I’m simply considered a left-back.”

His exceptional speed has been a valuable asset to both his club and national team, regardless of his position on the field. While it may be challenging for him to replicate his stunning goal against Copenhagen, his dynamic forward runs have led to other memorable game-changing moments. Notably, during his early Spurs career, he provided an assist in a 3-0 victory at Manchester United, reaching a top speed of 37.12 km/h—the fastest recorded in the 2024-25 Premier League season—impressively announcing himself to English football.

Given that the Netherlands is close to securing a spot in next summer’s World Cup, Van de Ven will likely have opportunities to showcase his remarkable speed on the international stage. The Oranje can guarantee their qualification for the tournament with a draw against Lithuania on Monday.