2024-06-12 15:30:33
For the Czech followers, the match of the century, for the Dutch followers, a nightmare that they nonetheless do not perceive. The battle between Karl Brückner’s and Dick Advocaat’s wards at Euro 2004 ended with a significant twist within the choice of the previous. The Dutch coach completed with a model that he by no means erased. There may be even a statue within the city of Hilversum to commemorate his unusual substitution on this match.
It was the 58th minute when the stadium roared and screamed. Arjen Robben, one of the best participant on the pitch to this point, surprisingly left the pitch. The Netherlands led the Czech nationwide staff 2:1 and the Oranjes winger was concerned in each targets scored.
However the lawyer did not care. “Galásek had an excessive amount of area in the midst of the sector. I needed to thicken the midfield and spare Robben, who was coming back from harm,” defined the Dutch coach after the match.
Midfielder Paul Bosvelt ran onto the pitch as an alternative of Robben and watched because the Czechs turned the match of their favor with two exhibition targets and received 3:2.
An unbiased viewer may applaud the dramatic spectacle, which continues to be remembered right this moment. Even the British newspaper The Guardian included this duel in its “My Favourite Match” collection.
In Dutch soccer historical past, nevertheless, not solely the match, however particularly the 58th minute of the match is written in black letters.
Match minimize:
The following day, media hell broke unfastened for Advocaat. He was pilloried by journalists and pundits alike, and his assistant coach Willem van Hanegem condemned his determination to tug Robben off the pitch at a press convention.
“If it have been to occur once more, I’ll knock him down on the garden,” he instructed reporters.
The teaching workers was divided and the gamers weren’t in a really perfect temper both, the place it was simply teeming with star names. Edwin Van Der Sar was within the objective, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids or Ruud van Nistelrooy have been rampant within the area subsequent to Robben.
The Dutch followers thus had the best expectations. “What about the truth that we superior to the semi-finals and received bronze. Everybody nonetheless remembered the substitution. There was no level in persevering with,” recalled Advocaat, who then ended up on the bench, although he had a contract till 2006.
In the long run, the Oranjes made it so far as Messrs. Poborský, Nedvěd, Koller, Baroš and Šmicer. The Czech nationwide staff additionally misplaced within the semi-finals, leaving them with bronze.
However for the Dutch, the defeat at the moment is such a strong second that this yr, twenty years after the memorable match, they’d a statue erected within the park within the city of Hilversum, which depicts the fourth referee holding the substitution signal, with Bosvelt standing prepared subsequent to him.
Makers of TV program place soccer paintings at Media Park in Hilversum: ‘In reminiscence of the substitution of Arjen Robben for Paul Bosvelt’ https://t.co/Lld5GBfz0C
— Rens Muller (@RensMuller) June 6, 2024