Ronald Koeman hailed the Netherlands’ stellar play against Romania as they sailed into the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after a 3-0 rout.
Cody Gakpo netted, elevating his tournament goal count to three. Donyell Malen, coming off the bench, scored twice, setting the stage for a clash with Turkiye. Turkiye previously edged Austria 2-1.
Despite advancing as one of the best third-placed teams following a 3-2 loss to Austria, the Oranje showed marked improvement, toppling Romania, the Group E victors. Koeman emphasized the importance of sustaining this level of performance as the tournament intensifies.
“Explaining fluctuations in performance can be tricky,” he remarked after the match. “Being on our game from the start today really helped. However, we could’ve secured our second goal sooner.”
“Results dominate, yet we Dutch favor a robust, attacking style. And we delivered today,” Koeman continued. “To advance, we must maintain this standard. Anything less won’t suffice.”
Koeman, who triumphed with the Dutch squad in the 1988 European Championship in Germany, now seeks to replicate that success.
Having reached their first quarter-final since 2008, he stressed the need for his squad to emulate the legends of ’88 to forge their legacy. “There’s monumental talent here,” he admitted. “Winning is essential for rightful comparisons to our ’88 triumph.”
