At 34 years old, recently qualified for Champions including surprising Gerona, the dutch Daley Blind He will face his fourth final stage of a major competition with the national team from elsewhere; undisputed eleven in each of his 16 previous matches at two World Cups and a European Championship, until Germany 2024, where he took another goal, full of experience.
During the four days of the tournament, under the command of Ronald Koeman, He has been playing for a while now. In the round of 16 matches Romania, when the stopwatch was showing more time, Bilnd entered the field of play. It’s the 92nd minute France or against Austria or against Poland in the group stage. He now has 108 caps and three goals throughout his long career with the national team, which began in 2013.
Within Brazil World Cup 2014 He played everything, each of the seven games as a starter from the first day to the third and fourth place wins against Brazil 0-3 (only he, Memphis Depay and Georgino Wijaldum remain on the Germany 2024 selection list ) ; in the 2021 Euro Cup, also, each of the four matches until the round of 16, and in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Louis Van Gaal, a year and a half ago, also: the five matches until the elimination in the penalty shootout of the quarterfinals against Argentina and Messi.
“The truth is, that’s different. It takes some getting used to. But, at the same time, this role is also a challenge to keep your teammates, along with the coaching staff, attentive for the next games. I help my teammates i. Of course as a player you always want to play, but that decision is up to the coach and you have to respect it,” He announced this Thursday at a press conference in the city of Wolfsburg, where he is based.
“Generally, you try to make sure you support your teammates as much as you can and help out with whatever is needed. I’m really looking at my place. I’m thinking about how to do it as much as possible. How can you be important to the team, you have to be an example every day in training and show that you are ready when needed,” added the Girona footballer, who has 37 matches at club level this season.
“It’s a different role than usual, but I’m trying to play it the best I can. For me, it is still an honor to play with the national team and to be here at the final stage of the Euro Cup,” Blind, who pointed out that his team is already in the quarterfinals of Euro 2024, where they face Turkey next Saturday for a place in the semifinal, explained that there is “extra pressure” when playing with the national team compared to clubs.
“You play fewer games with your team and you have the entire country behind you. That in big tournaments can add a little extra pressure to the player,” he said this Thursday.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
