Bergwijn hits back at Netherlands coach Koeman: ‘You don’t treat players like that’

By: The Associated Press Posted: 5:24 AM CDT Friday, Sep. 6, 2024

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Steven Bergwijn has hit out at Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman for shutting the door on his international career because of a move to Saudi Arabia.

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AMSTERDAM (AP) — Steven Bergwijn has hit out at Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman for shutting the door on his international career because of a move to Saudi Arabia.

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AMSTERDAM (AP) — Steven Bergwijn has hit out at Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman for shutting the door on his international career because of a move to Saudi Arabia.

The 26-year-old forward was accused by Koeman of lacking “sporting ambition” after leaving Ajax for Al-Ittihad on Monday, and won’t be considered for selection.

Bergwijn, who has played for the Dutch national team since 2018 and was part of the squad for the recent European Championship, saw Koeman’s critical comments — made in a news conference on Tuesday — on the television and was hurt by them.

FILE -Netherlands' Steven Bergwijn makes an attempt to score during the Euro 2024 group B qualifying soccer match between Greece and The Netherlands at the OPAP Arena in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)

“You don’t treat players like that,” he told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. “I have always considered it an honor to play for the Dutch team, but under this coach I no longer want that.

“I am done with someone who deliberately portrays me like this in the media.”

Bergwijn said he was “disappointed” in Koeman for not talking to him first and doesn’t want to play under him anymore.

Koeman selected Bergwijn to start in the last 16 and quarterfinals at Euro 2024, while the former Tottenham forward also started against Argentina in the World Cup quarterfinals in 2022, when the Dutch were led by veteran coach Louis van Gaal.

The Netherlands have Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday and Germany on Tuesday.