VIRGIL VAN DIJK CELENRATES 100TH DUTCH CAP:

The Liverpool and Netherlands captain reached a major milestone in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Serbia.

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On Sunday, Virgil van Dijk and the Netherlands played their fourth Nations League match of the extended international break with a 2-1 victory over Serbia that sees them end the window having taken eight of 12 points in the competition and top of a group that also includes Greece and Germany.

For captain Van Dijk, it wasn’t just the win that he was celebrating after the match. It was the recording of his 100th senior cap for the Dutch national team—and has him just one senior appearance away from matching midfielder Phillip Cocu and pushing his way into the all-time top ten.

“I’m very grateful to the group and all the staff members with whom I’ve worked with and in the end, I am most grateful for my family,” Van Dijks said following the match. “They were there tonight, too. So it’s a special evening and great milestone and definitely something I’m very proud of.

“But it doesn’t stop at 100, even if it’s something I never dreamed about. It felt too far away to think about when I was young, but I think I’ve got the most out of my career. Unfortunately, I missed [2020 with a knee injury] or I might have come close to Wesley Sneijder (134), but I’m proud and happy.”

Thanks to the elongated first international break, Van Dijk and the Netherlands will wrap up group play in the current edition of the Nations League in the November break when they take on Greece and Germany, with the group’s top two then set to head to the quarter-finals in the new year.

“You have to take very good care of yourself and do everything that you can to be ready every single time,” he added. “I feel like I’m in a good position now, so I just have to keep going. Playing football is the most fun thing there is for me, but I understand why people look at age in our sport.

“When things are going well they always say you look good for your age and then at other times they say you look like an old man. So I just have to make sure that I perform as well as possible for the team, on and off the field. And winning helps, of course. Because you just want to win. Period.”

- Noel Chomyn

WESLEY SNEIJDER SAYS UEFA SHOULD HAVE CANCELED ARSENAL'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DECIDER VS ATLÉTICO MADRID BEFORE HALF-TIME & CLAIMS GUNNERS 'DON'T HAVE ANY TOP PLAYERS'

Champions League winner Wesley Sneijder has launched a scathing attack on the quality of Arsenal’s semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid, suggesting UEFA should have called the second leg clash off after just 35 minutes. Despite the Gunners winning 1-0 at the Emirates to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory, the Dutch legend was left entirely unimpressed by the spectacle.

Sneijder calls for UEFA intervention

In a damning assessment of the semi-final clash, the former Real Madrid and Inter playmaker joked that the governing body should have stepped in and stopped the match before the half-time whistle had even blown. Bukayo Saka eventually scored the winning goal of the tie, but Sneijder felt the level of football on show was far below the standard expected of such a prestigious stage in European competition.

Speaking on Ziggo Sport, the outspoken Dutchman delivered a brutal verdict on the proceedings in north London. "I said after 35 minutes, UEFA must intervene," Sneijder said. "They need to call London: both teams off the pitch, and tomorrow the final will be played between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. I knew this would happen, Atletico dropped back and gave away possession, and Arsenal had a lot of control over the ball."

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No 'top players' at the Emirates

Sneijder did not stop at criticising the match itself, as he aimed a side-swipe at the personnel available to Mikel Arteta. While the Dutchman acknowledged the manager's achievement in leading the Gunners to secure their place in the final with a hard-fought 1-0 win, he argued that the squad lacks genuine world-class talent compared to the European giants of the past.

"I looked at the players again, and Arteta already deserves a statue," Sneijder added. "He simply doesn't have any top players, and with the current squad, he manages to push Atletico back, which is impressive." The comments come despite Arsenal remaining unbeaten in the competition and conceding only six goals across 14 matches, showcasing a defensive resilience that has defined their run to Budapest.

Simeone refuses to make excuses

While Sneijder was busy questioning the quality of the match, Atleti boss Diego Simeone took a more humble approach to his side's exit. Despite a controversial moment where his team believed they should have been awarded a penalty, the Argentine refused to make excuses and instead focused on the strength of the Premier League leaders.

"If we were eliminated, it's because our opponent deserved to advance. They were clinical in the first half and earned their place. But what I feel is tranquillity, peace. The team gave everything they had," Simeone said. "We came to compete against an incredibly powerful team, and with our own strengths, we fought as hard as we could. I'm grateful to our fans, our players, and I'm proud to be where I am. I said during preseason at the stadium that we were going to compete, and we did. Unfortunately, we didn't win anything, that's true, but we reached places that aren't easy to reach."

Eyes on the final in Budapest

The Gunners will now head to Budapest to face the winner of the clash between PSG and Bayern Munich. The French side currently hold a 5-4 lead following a chaotic first leg, a match that Sneijder clearly feels represented a higher level of football than what was witnessed in London. Arteta will likely ignore the noise from the outside as he prepares his side for a historic showdown on the European stage, with Arsenal just 90 minutes away from potentially lifting their first-ever European Cup.

- Muhammad Zaki

RIJKAARD AND WESLEY SNEIJDER