Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman recently explained why he chose to substitute Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt during their match against Germany. De Ligt, 25, was taken off at half-time and replaced by Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke after making errors that contributed to Germany’s first-half goals in the UEFA Nations League clash.
The game ended in a 2-2 draw on Tuesday, September 10. After the match, Koeman shared that he initially wanted to keep De Ligt on the field but felt it was necessary to take him off as a precaution. The defender seemed to be in a phase where every mistake he made had serious consequences.
Koeman noted that while De Ligt has areas to improve, it’s important to not blow things out of proportion and instead use these experiences as learning opportunities.
“Of course, I would have preferred to keep him on the pitch,” Koeman told Dutch broadcaster NOS. “It just feels like every error he makes is being punished right now. I gave him another chance today, but in the end, I took him off to protect him.”
Currently, De Ligt faces stiff competition in the Netherlands squad with defenders like Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Micky van de Ven, Jurrien Timber, and Van Hecke all vying for spots. Ake, who plays for Manchester City, was unfortunately stretchered off during the game due to a suspected hamstring injury, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee De Ligt a starting place if he doesn’t show improvement and win over Koeman.
