Ronald Koeman, the coach of the Netherlands national team, made an unconventional decision by scheduling a behind-closed-doors friendly during the ongoing Euros. This allowed players like Ryan Gravenberch to receive some much-needed game time. The Netherlands had a mixed group stage, winning one, losing one, and drawing one, but managed to qualify as the best third-placed team.
After their previous match, defender Virgil van Dijk expressed the need for change if the team wants to succeed in the tournament. It appears that part of the plan to improve their performance is to keep the entire squad in rhythm. To achieve this, a friendly match against German amateur side TSV Havelse was organized. This match saw players who were on the periphery and did not start the previous game against Austria getting involved.
According to reports, the friendly was played over two halves of 35 minutes, and players like Gravenberch, who had been benched for all three group games, were given the opportunity to play. Wout Weghorst and Micky van de Ven, both of whom scored twice, along with Jeremie Frimpong and Brian Brobbey, were among the goal scorers in the 6-1 victory.
While it is unclear how long Gravenberch played, it was undoubtedly a welcome run-out for him. Prior to this friendly, he had only played a total of 50 minutes across Liverpool’s last three games of the 2023/24 season. Gravenberch had returned to the Netherlands national team this summer after a season in exile due to his decision to reject a call-up to the Netherlands U21s. He chose instead to focus on settling in at Liverpool.
Gravenberch expressed his belief that his previous decision would no longer affect his chances with the national team. He stated that if it were still an issue, he wouldn’t have been called up for this internship. Although it may be challenging for Gravenberch to secure minutes in the knockout stages of the Euros unless there are injuries to other players, his participation in the behind-closed-doors friendly will undoubtedly boost his confidence. It will also remind him that the door to international action has been unlocked. As he returns to club football, Gravenberch can do so with a positive mindset, knowing that he is a part of the national team setup once again.