The Oranje surprisingly abandoned their traditional blueprint todeploy a five-man defensive line for the first time in 32 matches. While critics condemned the negative setup, Van Dijk adamantly argued that adopting a deeper block has become a tactical necessity for elite nations navigating the modern tournament landscape.
Van Dijk added: "If you look at almost all the big teams at the World Cup, they also drop deep and wait for the right moment to press. We trained hard on this for two days, and at times it went well. Of course, things can always be better, but well, that's of no use to us now."
Pressed on the emotional toll of watching the shootout unfold from the centre circle, he noted: "Intense, of course. You train so much for it, and in the end, you're out."
Rather than pointing fingers at the players who failed to convert from 12 yards out, the captain quickly closed ranks: "Right now, I want to get inside as quickly as possible to be with the boys. That's my only thought at this moment."