Virgil van Dijk’s Fury Erupts As He’s Asked About The Referee After England’s Shock Victory
In the aftermath of England’s stunning 2-1 win over Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk couldn’t hide his frustration when confronted about the refereeing decisions during the match.
With the Dutch team heading into the tournament as one of the favorites, van Dijk and his teammates were left reeling after Ollie Watkins’ injury-time winner sent the Three Lions through to the final. The defeat was all the more bitter due to the controversial nature of the penalty that leveled the scores.
Speaking after the match, van Dijk’s initial response to a query about the referee’s performance was dismissive, simply stating, "Are you trying to get me into trouble?" However, his manager Ronald Koeman wasn’t as diplomatic, unleashing a scathing attack on the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the process.
"Football is getting destroyed by these types of decisions by VAR," Koeman declared. "This penalty would not have been given in England. What should you do as a defender? I thought the referee whistled for a lot of silly things, but that’s not why we lose."
The Dutch boss was referencing the contentious penalty awarded to England in the 18th minute, with Harry Kane converting from the spot after initially being denied a spot-kick by referee Felix Zwayer. The decision sparked heated debate, with pundit Gary Neville labeling it a "disgraceful decision".
While van Dijk chose not to escalate the situation further, his anger was evident in his body language as he watched the referee walk off the pitch at full-time. The feeling among the Dutch camp was that Zwayer didn’t want to engage with the players and coach after the decisions had been made.
The fallout from the match has sparked intense debate about the role of VAR in international football, with many questioning the efficacy of the system in high-pressure situations.
What do you think? Should VAR be re-examined ahead of major tournaments? Let us know in the comments below!
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