The Netherlands may have coasted into the last 16, but they have so far flown under the radar at this World Cup.
That is partly down to their style of play under manager Louis van Gaal, which has been labelled “boring” by the Dutch press and like “grinding teeth” by fans on social media.
“If you think it’s boring, why don’t you go home?” Van Gaal bristled at a reporter on Tuesday, after his side beat Qatar 2-0 to top Group A and book a last-16 tie with the United States tomorrow.
The Netherlands might be a functional side, but forward Cody Gakpo has been a shining light in some less-than-fluent displays.
Gakpo scored in all three group matches, becoming the first Dutch player to do so at a World Cup. He also became only the fourth Dutch player to score in three consecutive World Cup games, after Johan Neeskens, Dennis Bergkamp and Wesley Sneijder.
The 23-year-old is the tournament’s joint-top goalscorer with Kylian Mbappe, Enner Valencia and Marcus Rashford, and looks destined to become a star.
Gakpo has had three shots at this World Cup and scored three goals: one with his right foot, one with his left and one with a head. In total this season, he has a combined 17 goals and 18 assists for the Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven.
He was already on the radar of clubs around Europe before the World Cup, but his form in Qatar means he is set be one of the most in-demand players in the January window.
Manchester United are the frontrunners to sign Gakpo, after their manager, Erik ten Hag, spoke with him in the summer. United did not follow up their interest then, but the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has left a hole in their squad that needs to be filled.
A host of other clubs have scouted Gakpo, including Arsenal and Liverpool. He was advised by Van Gaal not to make a potentially-unsettling move away from PSV in the build-up to the World Cup, but would be more open to a transfer in January.
“If he goes to the Premier League, he will need time to get at that level, but I think he has everything to adapt,” says Twan Scheepers, who coached Gakpo when he was coming through PSV’s academy.
“He is a smart guy and has the attributes to develop even more. I don’t have any doubts that he will become a big player in the Champions League or Premier League.”
Gakpo is so in demand because he provides goals and assists from out wide. Standing at 6ft 4ins, he is not a typical winger. He looked destined to be a central striker aged 10, when he scored 100 goals in a season, but now operates best on the left.
Van Gaal ditched his famous 4-3-3 system for a 3-4-1-2 ahead of the World Cup, and Gakpo is partnering Memphis Depay in a front two.
“He can do it, but it’s not natural that he’s a No9,” adds Scheepers. “He has the skills, not only on the ball, but off it as well. He can adapt to that.”
There is some pessimism in the Netherlands about their prospects in the knockout stage. They hardly impressed in a group alongside Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal, and the squad does not have the quality of some of the great Dutch sides of old.
But the side, led by captain Virgil van Dijk, is inspired by Van Gaal. Earlier this year, the 71-year-old revealed he has had an aggressive form of prostate cancer since 2020. But he has said he feels well enough to lead the team and hopes to prove their doubters wrong.
To do that, the Netherlands are likely to need to up the quality and speed of their game against the USA, who qualified unbeaten in Group B behind England.
They are sweating on the fitness of captain Christian Pulisic, who injured his pelvis scoring the winner against Iran on Tuesday.
