Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has detailed the improvement in Ryan Gravenberch‘s game as he has developed into a key man for the Dutch at this World Cup.
So far in this competition, Gravenberch ranks first on the team in assists (two, both against Japan) and second in ball recoveries.
At a news conference before Thursday’s match against Tunisia, Koeman explained what has changed since the Liverpool midfielder spent the entire 2024 European Championships on the Netherlands bench.
“Two years ago, he wasn’t playing much,” Koeman said. “You really develop when you’re playing every week. That’s what happened.”
Heading into Euro 2024, Gravenberch had played just 1,678 total league minutes over his previous two seasons during a disappointing stint with Bayern Munich and his first season at Liverpool.
Over the last two seasons, however, he has started 71 of Liverpool’s 76 Premier League matches, scoring five goals while adding seven assists.
“When he went to Liverpool, he became a starter there,” Koeman said. “He developed tremendously. I think there’s still more development to come from him in terms of communication and recognising situations in matches. But the potential was always there, and now, two years later, it has truly come out.”
Gravenberch agreed with the assessment, noting that he still felt he needed further improvement, particularly when “recognising situations better sometimes — with the ball, but especially without the ball.”
“In this tournament I’ve often played a bit higher on the right side, trying to use the spaces well,” Gravenberch added. “Sometimes I need to drop deeper, sometimes push higher. But yes, there are definitely areas where I can still improve.”
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The Dutch head into their latest match against Tunisia still hoping to win Group F. Both the Netherlands and Japan have four points, with the Dutch in first place because they’ve scored one more goal.
Sweden sit one point behind and play Japan at the same time as Netherlands vs. Tunisia.
Unless they finish in third place, the Netherlands will likely play Brazil or Morocco in the round of 32. Asked which team he would rather play, Koeman demurred. “I don’t think about it that way,” he said.
“We want to go very far in this tournament, and we respect every opponent we might face. We aren’t afraid of anyone. They’re all strong countries. In the end, it doesn’t really matter who you face in the next round.”
With at least 13 of 16 European teams likely to advance to the knockouts, Koeman was also asked if he felt UEFA should receive more bids into what is now a 48-team tournament.
He again resisted provocation. “It’s not my decision how a World Cup is organised,” he said. “I’ve actually been impressed by a number of countries that many people would consider weaker than the European [teams].
“Countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast, for example, have done very well and have caused bigger nations a lot of problems.
“Of course there have been a few one-sided matches. But those stand on their own. I think this tournament contains the strongest teams. And if certain countries aren’t here, they must have fallen short somewhere along the way.
“That’s their problem. But I don’t see any teams in this tournament that don’t belong here.”
Netherlands and Tunisia kick off at 7 p.m. ET (midnight UK time) on Thursday evening.
