Netherlands 5-1 Sweden: Not Brian Brobbey - this is Ronald Koeman's most important World Cup player

The cliche 'served a sensation of their ain medicine' could not beryllium utilized immoderate much appropriately than connected June 20, 2026, arsenic the Netherlands subjected Sweden to the aforesaid destiny that the Scandinavians condemned Tunisia to successful their World Cup Group F mismatch.

A fewer days aft Sweden brag Graham Potter masterminded a 5-1 annihilation of the Eagles of Carthage, the ex-Chelsea manager was connected the receiving extremity of a 1-5 scoreline against a rampant Netherlands unit, who assumed power of the conception successful the process.

The latest instalment of the lucifer that brought the Cruyff crook into prominence, the Dutch icon would person loved to witnesser his disciples moving riot successful Houston, wherever caller starter Brian Brobbey and much-maligned Liverpool antheral Cody Gakpo hogged the limelight.

However, arsenic praiseworthy arsenic the attackers' contributions were, neither tin rightfully assertion to beryllium Ronald Koeman's astir influential soldier; that honour belongs to a Real Madrid-bound bombardier.

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden: Why Denzel Dumfries is Ronald Koeman's astir important player

As Sweden defended successful a compact 5-3-2, either Donyell Malen oregon Crysencio Summerville would inhabit Gabriel Gudmundsson, offering flying wing-back Denzel Dumfries clip and abstraction to prime retired and orangish garment successful the box.

Fatal error.

A staple of the Inter Milan squad that reached 2 Champions League finals successful 3 seasons, Dumfries amassed 55 extremity involvements for the Nerazzurri, everlastingly thriving successful the wing-back relation that offered him licence to weaponry forward.

Getting into crossing positions is each good and good, but Dumfries consistently demonstrated the quality to get his transportation spot on, acknowledgment some to the 30-year-old's exemplary execution and telepathic knowing with his teammates.

Two cardinal passes from Dumfries led to 2 large chances created, and 2 large chances led to 2 assists from the Dutchman, whose archetypal helper for Brian Brobbey was some perfectly weighted and timed; a divided 2nd much and the erstwhile whitethorn person been caught offside.

The rearguard enactment from Sweden for Dumfries's 2nd assistance near a batch to beryllium desired, arsenic 5 bluish shirts defended against 3 orangish ones successful the punishment area, allowing the right-back to marque the overlapping tally helium truthful craves wholly unchallenged.

Nevertheless, Dumfries exhibited his acquisition and prime erstwhile much with different crisp first-time shot crossed the six-yard box, 1 that had conscionable the close magnitude of venom to some surpass each Swedish garment but not miss the footwear of Gakpo.

No subordinate boasts much assists than Dumfries implicit the past 2 editions of the World Cup - his 4 is level with Croatia's Ivan Perisic - and the 30-year-old has made a wont of important contributions successful large tournaments too.

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden: Denzel Dumfries's large tourney X-factor

During the Netherlands' Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Turkey, it was Dumfries's shot that Mert Muldur turned into his ain nett for the winning extremity successful a 2-1 occurrence for Oranje.

Dumfries astir single-handedly sent the Netherlands done to the past 8 of the 2022 World Cup too, delivering a extremity and 2 assists successful a 3-1 last-16 triumph implicit the USA, earlier admittedly letting himself down with his reddish paper successful the quarter-final nonaccomplishment to Argentina.

One twelvemonth prior, Dumfries's 2 goals and 1 assistance astatine Euro 2020 were of paramount value to the Netherlands' progression to the knockout rounds, further highlighting his affinity for performances connected the biggest stage.

While Dumfries's violative feats basal retired - and rightly truthful - the Real Madrid caller lad besides registered a 100% occurrence complaint from 3 tackles connected Saturday night, helping to guarantee that Sweden would seldom acquisition the counter-attacking joyousness they did against Tunisia.

The withdrawal of Jurrien Timber done wounded near 3 right-back options successful the Dutch squad; Dumfries, midfielder-turned-defender Mats Wieffer, and Lutsharel Geertruida, who has ne'er scored oregon assisted for his state and has bagged conscionable 2 extremity involvements successful the past 2 seasons astatine nine level.

Dumfries's prospective lack would truthful deprive Koeman of a captious attacking outlet, but for a captious last radical crippled against Tunisia, the Bernabeu-bound full-back volition beryllium up to his accustomed tricks.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, you person been warned.