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sport">“If you see how Memphis is working with the team,” says Wijnaldum. “He is also a captain for me. Just like Matthijs de Ligt and Marten de Roon. People can’t see into our dressing room. That is why it is perhaps surprising that I mention De Roon.”
sport">The fun is splashing on the second day of training for the Orange in Lagos, Portugal, just like seven years ago when the national team was preparing for the World Cup in Brazil. “It’s a team of friends again. We form a unity”, says Wijnaldum. “You don’t win games with that alone, but it is very important. After that World Cup, the atmosphere was a bit less for a while.”
Memphis Depay, Wijnaldum, Owen Wijndal and Denzel Dumfries during a training session of the Dutch national team at the Cascade Resort.
Ⓒ ANP
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Celebrating a holiday during a World Cup or European Championship felt wrong
sport">“It is unbelievable that we have not played at a World Cup or European Championship with the Netherlands for seven years,” continues Wijnaldum. “The Netherlands always seemed to qualify automatically. Missing a tournament, that might still be possible. But two? It hurt me a lot. Sometimes I looked at those tournaments with a sideways eye. But I could hardly bear it. I was often on vacation, but that felt wrong. Because during those tournaments I wasn’t supposed to be on vacation.”
sport">Wijnaldum is one of nine internationals from the selection of 26 players for the European Championship who knows what it’s like to play a big tournament. “In that regard, we have a green selection,” the midfielder realizes. “If you look at other country teams. But we are very confident. We also grew in the tournament in 2014.”
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