In a highly charged Euro 2024 semi-final clash, the Netherlands captain, Virgil van Dijk, expressed strong criticism of referee Felix Zwayer’s decisions following their narrow 2-1 defeat to England. The match, held on Wednesday evening, saw the Dutch take an early lead through a goal by Xavi Simons, only for England to stage a dramatic comeback.
England’s resurgence began with a penalty converted by Harry Kane. The penalty was awarded after Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries made contact with Kane while attempting to block a shot. The controversial decision came after the VAR team advised Zwayer to review the incident, ultimately leading the German official to point to the spot.
The game reached its climax in the 90th minute when Ollie Watkins netted the winning goal for England, sealing their place in the final.
Post-match, Van Dijk didn’t hold back in his assessment of Zwayer’s officiating. Speaking to beIN Sports, the Dutch captain said,
“I don’t know what to say, I don’t know if I should say something about this. But I think it says it all that the referee went in quite quickly after the game, and had no time to shake his hand.”
Van Dijk’s remarks highlight the palpable frustration within the Dutch camp, not only with the pivotal penalty decision but also with Zwayer’s apparent haste to exit the pitch after the final whistle, a gesture that the Netherlands skipper took as a sign of the referee’s awareness of the contentious nature of his decisions.
