Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk came in for heavy criticism after the Netherlands were knocked out of the World Cup on penalties against Morocco.

Ronald Koeman’s men looked set to reach the Round of 16 when Cody Gakpo struck in the 72nd minute to put the Dutch in front. The Moroccans equalised right at the death courtesy of a superb header from Issa Diop in the 90+1st minute.

The two countries couldn’t be separated after extra-time and the game headed to a penalty shootout. Van Dijk didn’t take a penalty and watched his nation fall to a 3-2 shootout defeat at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico.

Van Dijk Opted Not to Take Penalty vs Morocco

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Van Dijk often has no issue stepping up and taking a penalty, and he’s done just that throughout his Liverpool career. He famously scored an ice-cool spot-kick in the Reds’ Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea in 2022.

Many expected to see the Netherlands skipper try to keep his nation in the World Cup after Justin Kluivert and Quinten Timber missed from the spot. West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville instead took Oranje’s fifth penalty.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Summerville’s effort and sent Koeman’s side packing. A disastrous outcome for Van Dijk, whose country was eliminated in the first knockout round.

According to De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen, Van Dijk “stepped aside” and let Summerville take the final penalty despite the West Ham man suffering from cramps. That decision hasn’t gone down well in his homeland, and his international future has been cast into doubt.

The 34-year-old has been a mainstay in the Netherlands’ team throughout the years, earning his 96th cap in the defeat to Morocco. He played every single minute of his nation’s World Cup campaign, including scoring in a 2-2 draw against Japan and assisting in a 3-1 win over Tunisia.

Van Dijk Told he ‘Betrayed’ Netherlands

Pawel Andrachiewicz/PressFocus via Reuters

Van Dijk defended Koeman’s tactical setup after the game, despite his team having just 30% possession. He told reporters:

“I think we were well organised defensively. They basically couldn’t find the open man between the lines. So the game plan worked, of course. I think we scored a good goal. Ultimately, in injury time, you get pushed back. Then it goes to penalties; unfortunately, we get knocked out.”

Despite this, the Dutch media have placed the blame for the Netherlands’ early exit on Van Dijk and Koeman, suggesting the national team must move on from the pair. They even go as far as to suggest that the duo “betrayed everything our national football stands for.”

That was Driessen’s verdict following the loss to Morocco, and he believes the Liverpool centre-back has “had his time.” He reckons Koeman’s successor won’t need to visit Merseyside to try and persuade Van Dijk to continue his international career to Euro 2028 because “it’s time for a breath of fresh air and a fresh start” without him.

Van Dijk has often been called out by Dutch media and pundits during his international career. Marco van Basten took a swipe at the Liverpool star back in 2023, questioning his leadership abilities.

While he is undoubtedly one of the greatest defenders of his generation, some evidently feel he doesn’t possess the qualities required of a captain. His decision not to step up during the penalty shootout has stirred up debate not only about his captaincy credentials but also about whether he should continue with his national team.

Tottenham have beaten their rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Mateus Fernandes this summer, as David Ornstein reports that Spurs are now in pole position to complete a move for the West Ham midfielder.

It comes as both teams have been battling it out to land the Portuguese star, who has impressed in the past two seasons for the Hammers and Southampton, despite suffering back-to-back relegations from the Premier League.

There has been intense interest, even beyond Spurs and the Red Devils, as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Arsenal were all credited with interest too.

However, it seems as though Tottenham have won the race over Man United for Fernandes’s signature.

How Tottenham Won Fernandes Race

via Reuters

Both Tottenham and Man United battled it out to land Fernandes, but the report from Ornstein claims that it is now Spurs who will sign the midfielder to bolster their ranks.

It’s claimed that the Lilywhites have submitted the best proposal to West Ham, offering roughly £85 million in guaranteed transfer funds for the 21-year-old.

It’s a huge fee that Man United were simply not willing to match, with Fernandes also committing to joining Tottenham over the coming days of the transfer window.

The Red Devils will now move on to other midfield targets, having already agreed a deal to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, while they monitor other options who could strengthen their central ranks.

Both Tottenham and Man United have shown interest in Sandro Tonali, a saga that could now change as a result of Tottenham’s move for Fernandes, but it’s unclear whether that deal will transpire for either club.

As for Spurs, Fernandes is set to become the North London club’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window, having already sealed moves for Jan Paul van Hecke, Martin Dubravka, Marcos Senesi, and Andy Robertson.

Fernandes will take the overall summer transfer spend to roughly £137 million in total, with more spending expected in the coming weeks, if the club continue to target new options.

This is a developing story, more to come as it breaks…

We’ve all seen it; countless footballers across the world love to sport wrist tape when they play and nobody has ever really explained why.

Everyone from Phil Foden, Karim Benzema, Neymar — and even Jamie Vardy — have been known to do so and many more can be seen week in, week out doing the same.

But the reason isn’t always the same: here’s what’s actually going on.

Reason 1: Injury Prevention

Safety first, there are multiple ways in which a player can succumb to injuries of the wrist and hands. The high-energy, high-contact nature of the sport sees players regularly come into contact with one another, risking damage to the joints, wrists and fingers.

An expert voice — former Cardiff City physio Ben Warbuton — explained that there are two functions: preventive and protective. One helps to reduce the risk of injury from falling, whilst it can also help reduce extension of the wrist too.

Reason 2: Playing Through Existing Injuries

One high-profile example of this is Manchester City‘s Foden. Having fractured his hand in early 2024, he became synonymous with it throughout their Premier League title run, across Euro 2024 and into the following campaign.

Referring back to Warburton’s previous comments, “Taping can give reassurance after an injury. This can give massive confidence to a player, making them feel they can play aggressively — and should they fall, their wrist is slightly protected.”

Neymar was a prime example. He used zinc-oxide athletic tape to support his wrist joints. As one of the most fouled players in football history, it was certainly a protective measure.

Reason 3: Psychology and Rituals

For some players, it is akin to a pre-match ritual. Most players have some kind of personal routine. From a physical standpoint, it may not be required if they have no current injury or risk, but the routine itself can provide a sense of focus and readiness.

One famous ritual – or good luck charm – was Vardy’s blue wrist strap. Originally there to help him recover from two broken bones, delaying surgery ensured he had to wear the lightweight cast, but it coincided with a generational run of form that saw him match a goalscoring record before making history with the 2015/16 title win.

Reason 4: Goalkeepers and Tactics

One position that hasn’t been referenced yet is the one that typically utilises it the most: goalkeepers. As already covered, protecting fingers and wrists is a key reason for tape, but it takes on added importance for keepers to combat the force of shots and awkward dives.

It can also be tactical; they can also place notes on their tape for penalty situations. That’s if it hasn’t been printed off and stuck to their water bottle, of course.

Reason 5: Style

This final one certainly lies within personal preference. Sometimes the look is all about aesthetics rather than function. For some, it forms part of a visual identity, or a way to differentiate from the crowd.

Others, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suárez, looked to hide certain objects such as a fitness tracker and a good luck bracelet under the strapping.