Shortly before the Netherlands’ first game at the World Cup, coach Ronald Koeman mentioned the relevance of Memphis Depay in the team’s plans for the competition and mentioned having seen the athlete’s daily life at Corinthians up close. The commander also made positive comments about the São Paulo team’s training center and the competitiveness of the national tournament.
During a speech to journalists, Ronald Koeman recalled that Memphis Depay dealt with injuries in recent months, however he pointed out that the professional is showing gradual improvement in his physical aspect and remains a crucial element for the European squad.
“We know that Memphis has had some injuries. He hasn’t played in recent weeks, but he’s back. Every day he’s closer to being 100% physically. We know his quality. He’s the greatest scorer in the history of the Dutch national team and we need him. If we want to achieve something in this tournament, we need all our players, but we certainly also need Memphis Depay”, he declared.
The strategist also explained that he traveled to South America to speak directly with the professional and analyze the Corinthians sports complex, a move that allowed him to examine in detail the context in which the athlete routinely plays.
“I went to Brazil once, in São Paulo, to talk to Memphis and see Corinthians’ facilities. I also wanted to follow the level of the competition. It’s a strong championship, with quality teams. But the injuries ended up delaying his ideal physical condition. Now we are working to get him ready and fully recovered. We will evaluate this day by day”, he detailed.
Memphis Depay starts the World Cup under strong supervision. From the moment he reached the top scoring position in the history of the Netherlands, the athlete established himself as the technical pillar of the squad and tends to play a preponderant role in the Netherlands’ performance.
First placed in the Group F draw, the Netherlands plays its first match in the international tournament against Japan. The group also features teams from Sweden and Tunisia, teams that will cross the path of the Dutch during the initial stage.
