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Tag: Netherlands National Soccer Team

  • Soccer writer Grant Wahl dies at World Cup match in Qatar

    Soccer writer Grant Wahl dies at World Cup match in Qatar

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    LUSAIL, Qatar — Grant Wahl, one of the most well-known soccer writers in the United States, died early Saturday while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands. He was 48.

    U.S. media seated near him said Wahl fell back in his seat in a section of Lusail Iconic Stadium reserved for journalists during extra time of the game, and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. Emergency services workers responded very quickly, the reporters said, and the reporters later were told that Wahl had died.

    “He received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital,” the World Cup organizing committee said in a statement, which did not list a cause of death. “We are in touch with the US Embassy and relevant local authorities to ensure the process of repatriating the body is in accordance with the family’s wishes.”

    Wahl tweeted on Wednesday that he had celebrated his birthday that day.

    “We could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists,” the U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement. “Grant’s belief in the power of the game to advance human rights was, and will remain, an inspiration to all. Grant made soccer his life’s work, and we are devastated that he and his brilliant writing will no longer be with us.”

    Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday on his website that he had visited a medical clinic while in Qatar.

    “My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you,” Wahl wrote. “What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.”

    Wahl wrote that he tested negative for COVID-19 and sought treatment for his symptoms.

    “I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno,” he wrote.

    Wahl wore a rainbow T-shirt in support of LGBTQ rights to the United States’ World Cup opener against Wales on Nov. 21 and wrote that security refused him entry and told him to remove the shirt. Gay and lesbian sex is criminalized in Qatar, a conservative Muslim emirate.

    Wahl wrote he was detained for 25 minutes at Ahmed Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan, then was let go by a security commander. Wahl said FIFA apologized to him.

    U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted late Friday: “We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Grant Wahl and send our condolences to his family, with whom we have been in close communication. We are engaged with senior Qatari officials to see to it that his family’s wishes are fulfilled as expeditiously as possible.”

    Wahl is survived by his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, an associate professor at New York University School of Medicine, attending physician at Bellevue Hospital Center and CBS News contributor.

    Gounder tweeted that she was thankful for the support of her husband’s “soccer family” and friends who had reached out.

    “I’m in complete shock,” she wrote.

    Among Wahl’s work before he began covering soccer exclusively was a Sports Illustrated cover story about LeBron James in 2002, when James was a junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Akron, Ohio.

    “He was always pretty cool to be around. He spent a lot of time in my hometown of Akron,” James said in Philadelphia after the Los Angeles Lakers lost in overtime to the 76ers. “Any time his name would come up, I’ll always think back to me as a teenager having Grant in our building down at St. V’s. It’s a tragic loss. It’s unfortunate to lose someone as great as he was. I wish his family the best. May he rest in paradise.”

    A voter at times in FIFA’s annual awards, Wahl had been among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the international sports press association AIPS for attending eight or more World Cups.

    “Only some days ago, Grant was recognised by FIFA and AIPS for his contribution to reporting on eight consecutive FIFA World Cups, and his career also included attendance at several FIFA Women’s World Cups, as well as a host of other international sporting events,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. “His love for football was immense and his reporting will be missed by all who follow the global game.”

    Wahl graduated from Princeton in 1996 and worked for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2021, known primarily for his coverage of soccer and college basketball. He then launched his own website.

    Wahl also worked for Fox Sports from 2012-19.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Fan runs on field during Argentina-Netherlands at World Cup

    Fan runs on field during Argentina-Netherlands at World Cup

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    A fan ran onto the field in the 75th minute of Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal match against the Netherlands

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  • Van Gaal’s World Cup with Dutch has hugs, kisses and dancing

    Van Gaal’s World Cup with Dutch has hugs, kisses and dancing

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    DOHA, Qatar — Three wins from the title that has eluded the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal has filled his World Cup with hugs, kisses and dancing.

    Leading his nation for the third time at age 71, he is the tournament’s oldest coach. He also may be the most dapper, pacing the sideline in a neon orange tie, dark business suit and dress shoes.

    Van Gaal has the Dutch on a 19-game unbeaten streak going into Friday’s quarterfinal against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Known as the Iron Tulip, he has entertained off the field as much as his players have on the pitch.

    Van Gaal responded to praise from a Senegalese reporter 25 minutes into a news conference with an excited: “Oh, I can hug you. I’ll give you a big, fat hug later,” according to his translator.

    And after the news conference, LVG did just that, beckoning for Papa Mahmoud Gueye to meet him at the side of stage, then wrapping his arms around the 28-year-old and giving him eight pats on the back followed by a tap on the face.

    A few days later, Van Gaal puckered up. He was seated next to Denzel Dumfries, who scored one goal and assisted on two others in the 3-1 win over the United States that put the Dutch in the quarterfinals. A reporter from Aruba asked Van Gaal how proud he was of the defender, who has an Aruban father.

    “Yesterday or a day before yesterday, I gave him a big fat kiss. I am going to give him another big fat kiss so everybody can see,” the coach said. He leaned over, put an arm around the player and placed a smack near Dumfries’ right ear.

    A short while later, Van Gaal followed his players on a jubilant dance line while arriving at the St. Regis Doha. Quite different from his demeanor after the 2-0 win over host Qatar, when a Dutch reporter told him the result wasn’t enough.

    “Of course, you can give your opinion. I don’t agree with you and I’m not going to expand on that because I think that you have a different perspective on football than I have,” Van Gaal said. “So why don’t you write that down, that you think it is terribly boring, that you’re going home tomorrow because you couldn’t care less?”

    Ahead of the U.S. match, he described criticism as a constant.

    “If I have to believe the Dutch media, we’ll never become world champion,” Van Gaal said. “In 2014, it was exactly the same. Extremely negative. Now it’s the same all over again. I am used to it, and I think my players are used to it, so we will calmly move on.”

    Then he added playfully in English: “Maybe you can take now a picture after this declaration.”

    He smiled and said: “Cheese.”

    Van Gaal has coached Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, winning seven league titles, but he is seeking his first national team championship.

    Mindset is as essential as tactics.

    “He gives us a lot of confidence, a lot of clarity. Everybody knows what he needs to do,” Dumfries said. “He keeps us on our toes and he frankly tells us what needs to be improved.”

    Sitting next to the player, Van Gaal quickly interjected with a wide smile: “It’s not for nothing that we brought Denzel along.”

    Van Gaal took over the Oranje for the first time in 2000 and quit two years later after they failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. He returned in 2012 and coached them at the 2014 World Cup, where Argentina beat the Netherlands on penalty kicks in the semifinals. The Dutch took third with a 3-0 victory over host Brazil, and then he quit for the second time.

    Hired in August 2021 to replace Frank de Boer, Van Gaal made the controversial call to give 28-year-old goalkeeper Andries Noppert his national team debut in the team’s World Cup opener against Senegal.

    “For me what makes it special when you are a good manager or a good coach is that also the players who don’t play, you can get a good feeling and to keep fighting for a place in that squad,” Noppert said. “It’s not easy to not play games and to keep the 100% focus.”

    The Netherlands has the distinction of playing in the most World Cup finals without winning, a wound in the psyche of the Dutch fan base.

    “We can become world champions — not that we will become world champions,” Van Gaal said. “We can become world champions.”

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • US knocked out of World Cup, loses to the Netherlands 3-1

    US knocked out of World Cup, loses to the Netherlands 3-1

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    AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half and Denzel Dumfries added a late goal as the Netherlands eliminated the United States from the World Cup with a 3-1 victory Saturday that advanced the Dutch to the quarterfinals.

    Second-half substitute Haji Wright cut the U.S. deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute when Christian Pulisic’s cross hit his trailing foot and popped over goalkeeper Andries Noppert and into the net. But Dumfries, who assisted on the first two goals, scored on a volley in the 81st.

    “When you play a team with so much quality like that and you give them three, four chances, they’re going to put three or four away,” United States captain Tyler Adams said. “We can show that we can hang with some of the best teams in the world, some of the best players in world, and that’s a lot of progress for U.S. soccer. We’re moving in the right direction, for sure, but we need to keep pushing, because we’re not there yet. But we’re close.”

    Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Oranje extended their unbeaten streak to 19 games and face Argentina or Australia on Friday.

    It was a disappointing end for a rebuilt U.S. team hoping to advance past the round of 16 for the first time since 2002. Using the second-youngest squad in the tournament, the Americans achieved the bare minimum to consider the World Cup a success, beating Iran in their group-stage finale to reach the knockout round.

    But just like in 2010 against Ghana and 2014 against Belgium, the United States was eliminated in the round of 16. The Americans are winless in 12 games against European opponents at the World Cup since 2002, losing six, and are 1-7 during the tournament’s knockout rounds.

    “I think we made some progress,” United States coach Gregg Berhalter said. “When people look at our team, they see a clear identity. They see guys that go out and fight for each other. They see the talent on the field. We made progress, but on this particular night we came up short.”

    Pulisic, playing four days after getting hurt during his game-winning goal against Iran, had a chance to put the United States ahead in the third minute but Noppert, playing in only his fourth international match, blocked his point-blank shot. With the Americans seeking an equalizing goal, Noppert dived to stop Tim Weah’s 25-yard effort in the 42nd.

    The crowd of 44,846 was well back from the field at renovated Khalifa International Stadium, which has an athletics track and was more subdued than the raucous spectators for the match against Iran.

    While the United States had the better play at the start, the Dutch went ahead after breaking the American press. Dumfries one-timed a pass from the right flank as Depay streaked unmarked into the penalty area. His right-footed shot from 14 yards beat goalkeeper Matt Turner to the far post in the 10th minute for his 43rd international goal, moving him into sole possession of second place on the Dutch career scoring list behind Robin van Persie’s 50.

    The goal was the first allowed by the United States from the run of play in the tournament. In 37 World Cup matches, the Americans have never won a game in which they trailed.

    The Netherlands doubled the lead on virtually the final kick of the first half, in the first minute of stoppage time. After a quick series of exchanges following a throw-in, Dumfries got a cross around Tyler Adams and found Blind wide open at the penalty spot. Blind scored only his third international goal — his first in eight years. Gio Reyna fed an open Weston McKennie in the 54th, but he skied his shot over the crossbar.

    Wright entered in the 67th and scored his second international goal, sparking U.S. hopes. But Dumfries was left unmarked by Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson and used his left foot to volley Blind’s cross.

    “Just looking around that locker room, the silence is deafening,” Turner said. “We all want to create moments for people back at home to fall in love with the game and tonight was not one of those nights, unfortunately.”

    YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

    The starting lineup for the United States was its youngest for a World Cup knockout match at 25 years, 86 days. The previous low was 27 years, 19 days for the 1930 semifinal loss to Argentina.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    United States forward Josh Sargent did not dress after injuring his right ankle against Iran.

    UP NEXT

    The Netherlands will next play Friday at Lusail Stadium, the site of this year’s final.

    The Americans begin the 2026 cycle with a match against Serbia on Jan. 25 in Los Angeles and face Colombia three days later in Carson, California. The games are not on FIFA dates, meaning mostly Major League Soccer players will be used.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • European teams abandon plan to wear armbands at World Cup

    European teams abandon plan to wear armbands at World Cup

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    DOHA, Qatar — FIFA’s threat of on-field punishment for players forced World Cup teams to back down Monday and abandon an anti-discrimination campaign aimed at host nation Qatar.

    The captains of seven European nations won’t wear armbands supporting the “One Love” campaign in games after FIFA said the players would be shown yellow cards. The decision came three days after beer sales at stadiums was suddenly banned under pressure from the Qatari government and two days after FIFA president Gianni Infantino delivered an extraordinary tirade defending the host nation’s human rights record.

    “As national federations we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions, including bookings,” the seven soccer federations said in a joint statement.

    The climbdown after threats from FIFA came hours before England’s Harry Kane, the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and Wales’ Gareth Bale were due to wear the armbands in Monday’s games. The captains of Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark had also pledged to wear the armbands in the coming days.

    “Our number one priority at the World Cup is to win the games,” the Dutch soccer federation said in a separate statement. “Then you don’t want the captain to start the match with a yellow card.”

    Monday’s decision shows the political situation surrounding the first World Cup in the Middle East — even after Infantino asked all 32 national teams to keep politics off the soccer field.

    Since being awarded the World Cup hosting rights in 2010, Qatar has faced years of criticism regarding its treatment of low-paid migrant workers as well as it’s criminalization of gay and lesbian sex.

    FIFA raised the prospect of yellow cards on Sunday during a testy meeting with European soccer federations, including the seven teams that pledged to wear the armband.

    The One Love campaign was started in the Netherlands and its symbol is a heart-shaped multi-colored logo aimed at promoting inclusion and diversity in soccer and society.

    However, the European plans were in clear breach of World Cup regulations and FIFA’s general rules on team equipment at its games.

    “For FIFA final competitions, the captain of each team must wear the captain’s armband provided by FIFA,” the soccer body’s equipment regulations state.

    The armband dispute flared two months ago when 10 European teams said they had joined the longer-standing campaign in Dutch soccer, but it was still not resolved when the seven teams arrived in Qatar.

    FIFA offered its own compromise Monday by saying captains of all 32 teams “will have the opportunity” to wear an armband with the slogan “No Discrimination” in the group games.

    FIFA’s original offer Saturday was that “NoDiscrimination” — the only one of its chosen slogan aligned with the European teams’ wish — would appear only at the quarterfinal stage.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Dutch aim for World Cup statements against Mané-less Senegal

    Dutch aim for World Cup statements against Mané-less Senegal

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    DOHA, Qatar — The Netherlands is looking to make two statements in its opening World Cup game on Monday against a Senegal team that has to quickly get over the loss of star forward Sadio Mané.

    The first is strictly about soccer and establishing the team as a contender for the title in Qatar alongside the likes of top-ranked Brazil, defending champion France and Argentina. The Dutch have gained less attention in the buildup to the tournament after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but arrive as one of the top form teams in Europe.

    “We have a great chance of also becoming a world champion,” said Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who is back for a third spell in charge. “There are few coaches who dare to speak out like that, but I say this.”

    The second statement the Dutch want to make at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha centers around the long-running criticism of the World Cup host country’s laws and human rights record.

    The Netherlands soccer federation is the leader of the “One Love” anti-discrimination movement and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to wear an armband with a multi-colored heart-shaped logo in defiance of a FIFA order to keep politics out of the World Cup.

    The “One Love” armbands are a criticism of Qatar’s laws criminalizing homosexuality. The England and Wales captains have said that they will also ignore FIFA’s directive and wear them when they open their World Cup play on Monday.

    Among international coaches, Van Gaal has been one of the most outspoken critics of letting the small but wealthy emirate host the World Cup, a decision which he has called “ridiculous.” He toned down his criticism this week in his first press conference in Qatar but still made it clear he would have preferred the tournament go to a different country with more soccer “experience.”

    The World Cup will likely be the last major coaching assignment for the 71-year-old van Gaal, who announced this year he has prostate cancer and has been receiving radiation treatment.

    Netherlands has lost three World Cup finals — in 1974, 1978 and 2010 — and although there’s a long road ahead in Qatar, the Group A game against African champion Senegal is the biggest early challenge for the Dutch and a good indicator of how far they might go. Host nation Qatar and Ecuador are the other teams in Group A.

    Netherlands is on a 15-match unbeaten run under Van Gaal, who also coached his country to the semifinals at the 2014 World Cup in one of his previous spells.

    Striker Memphis Depay said he has recovered from a hamstring injury, alleviating the most serious concern for Van Gaal, who said he’ll still likely keep the Barcelona forward on the bench against Senegal.

    Senegal coach Aliou Cissé doesn’t have that option for talisman Mané, who was ruled out of the World Cup on Thursday with injury. Mané, 30, underwent surgery for the right lower leg injury he sustained in a league game for Bayern Munich two weeks ago, removing Senegal’s most potent attacking threat and the heart of the team.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup

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  • US to face Vietnam, Netherlands at women’s soccer World Cup

    US to face Vietnam, Netherlands at women’s soccer World Cup

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    AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The defending champion U.S. team will face Netherlands in the group stage of next year’s soccer World Cup, setting up an early rematch of the 2019 World Cup final.

    The Four-time champion United States was drawn in Group E with Vietnam, the Netherlands and a playoff winner at the official draw conducted in Auckland on Saturday.

    The tournament has been expanded to 32 teams drawn into eight groups of four.

    The U.S. will play all of its group matches in New Zealand. The tournament will be held at 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand in July and August next year. The match against the Netherlands will be at Wellington on July 27.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup

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