“Cold From Koeman” - Fans stunned as Netherlands exclude in-form player from line-up to face Türkiye in Euro 2024 quarter-final
Netherlands fans were left surprised as Donyell Malen was not included in their Euro 2024 quarter-final starting line-up to face Turkiye on July 6. Malen delivered an incredible performance in the Round of 16 clash against Romania, scoring two goals to lead the team to a 3-0 win.
After Ronald Koeman's official starting line-up was dropped on X, fans took to the social media platform to share their views. Most were disappointed with Malen's exclusion despite him proving himself in the last match. Here are some of the reactions:
"Malen looked better than Berj last game" a fan said.
"Bergjwin😂😂😂💀💀💀" another one wrote, criticizing the inclusion of Steven Bergwijn.
"How’s malen not starting" a user asked.
"Bergwijn? He’s abit 💩 no? Surely play Malen? Even Frimpong?" an individual said.
"Malen should start after that match" another user suggested.
"Malen not starting is criminal" another fan shared.
"is there a reason Malen isn’t starting? I think his performance against Romania should have gotten him into the team today." a user wondered.
"Malen scored twice last game????" a fan reminded.
Koeman not including Malen in the line-up might be surprising to some, but he was not a starter in the Netherlands' Round of 16 match against Romania as well. He came on as a substitute for Steven Bergwijn in the 46th minute and delivered a great performance. Koeman could have similar plans for the player against Turkiye.
Netherlands' run to the Euro 2024 quarter-final explored
The Netherlands didn't have the best run in the Euro 2024 group stages, with only one win, one loss, and a draw. They won their first Group D fixture 2-1 against Poland and it was followed by an underwhelming 0-0 draw against France.
In their final group stage match, the Dutch lost 3-2 to Austria and finished third in the group. They still made it to the Euro 2024 Round of 16 after ranking among the top four third-placed teams in the tournament. In their Round of 16 fixture, the Netherlands won 3-0 against Romania with Cody Gakpo finding the net once and Malen scoring twice.
The Dutch will face England in the semi-final if they can win against Turkey on July 10.