Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler has labelled midfielder Mats Wieffer “one of the best Dutch players in the world”. The 26-year-old, according to his coach, deserves a place in the World Cup squad.
At Brighton, he has quickly become a key performer; last weekend he underlined his value by netting both goals in the Seagulls’ 2-0 win over Burnley.
Outside the coastal city, however, the Borne-born defender has slipped under the radar. His most recent international outing came in June 2025, when he played 45 minutes as a defensive midfielder against Malta.
Since then, he has established himself as Brighton’s first-choice right-back, a switch that has impressed Hürzeler. “We give him the freedom to attack the spaces towards the midfield,” the coach explained in the Turf Moor press room after the win.
“That’s one of his strengths. He’s developed excellently as a full-back because he has that freedom, and defensively he’s very physically strong,” the German compliments our compatriot.
Hürzeler concludes, “For me, he is currently one of the best Dutch players in the world, so I hope he gets a chance to go to the World Cup. He absolutely deserves it.”
Yet Koeman appears to favour Denzel Dumfries (Inter) and Jurriën Timber (Arsenal) at right-back, with Lutsharel Geertruida (Sunderland) stepping in for the injured Timber during the latest international break.