Virgil van Dijk
Photo by Marcel ter Bals/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
Spain secured their place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands on Sunday night at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.
The thrilling encounter ended 3-3 after extra time, with the aggregate score tied at 5-5 following last week’s 2-2 draw in Rotterdam, before Spain prevailed 5-4 on penalties.
The victory extends Spain’s remarkable unbeaten run to 18 matches across all competitions. Notably, Luis de la Fuente’s side have not suffered defeat in the Nations League since September 2022, when they lost 2-1 at home to Switzerland.
Spain will now face France in the semi-finals, scheduled for June 5 in Stuttgart. The French also advanced via a penalty shootout victory in their quarter-final against Croatia.
While Spain continues their quest to retain the Nations League trophy they last won in 2023, the Dutch must start to look towards the 2026 World Cup as their next chance at silverware.
And despite the high-scoring affair, Van Dijk and his showing against the reigning European champions was viewed favorably by Dutch media.
Football Oranje gave the Liverpool skipper a 7.5/10 and praised him for his leadership shown on the night:
“A very captain-like performance from Van Dijk, who led the team well from the back. The defence was open at times but Van Dijk dealt with a number of situations well.”
National outlet AD gave Van Dijk the same rating and were largely happy with the defenders showing:
“Van Dijk played a good game in Valencia. Especially when the Dutch played far in the Spaniards’ half, he was constantly the man who defused the long ball of the champion of Europe.”
“Might have been able to defend the goal line at Oyarzabal’s 2-1 when Verbruggen managed to stop the Spaniard’s first attempt, although he would have had to act very quickly.”
The international break often disrupts club momentum and poses injury risks for players.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk avoided such concerns, returning unscathed from the Netherlands’ Nations League matches.
In contrast, Ryan Gravenberch withdrew from the Dutch squad after aggravating a knock sustained in the Carabao Cup final. While Van Dijk’s fitness reassures Liverpool ahead of their title push, Gravenberch’s precautionary exit highlights the challenges clubs face when balancing international commitments with player welfare.
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