Euro 2024: De Ligt saw psychologist over the bank in the Netherlands

Netherlands centre-back Matthijs de Ligt said he spoke to a psychologist after being left on the bench for his country’s opening Euro 2024 matches.

The Netherlands defeated Poland to share a goalless draw with France when Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij put captain Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.

Bayern Munich’s De Ligt had hoped to start and said on Tuesday ahead of the Dutch match against Austria that he had spoken to a psychologist and his family.

“These kinds of moments can be difficult. By talking about them you lighten things up and you can put the energy back on the field instead of wasting it on those kinds of thoughts,” De Ligt told Dutch media.

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“I always train to improve myself, that is not necessarily different now; what is a little different is the feeling after a victory.

“Of course you are also happy as a substitute, but slightly less than if you had participated yourself.”

Liverpool defender Van Dijk admitted he needed to improve after the team’s 2-1 comeback win in the opener against Poland, and the defense held firm in a solid second outing against tournament favorites Les Bleus.

De Ligt, 24, started for the Netherlands in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup but was dropped by then coach Louis van Gaal as the Dutch reached the quarter-finals.

“I had the feeling that I was in good shape, and I showed that at Bayern in the second half of the season… I would have liked to continue on that line here, in that sense it is a ‘false start’ for the tournament” , said De Ligt.

“I have learned during my football career that the start of a tournament or season is fun, but that it is mainly about the end.

“That’s why I’m relatively calm. I also have the feeling that something will happen this tournament that will allow me to still be important… you have to be ready for that.”

Dutch striker Wout Weghorst said he could personally “see the beauty” of being a super-sub after scoring the winner against Poland, but would also like to start.

“The way the first match went is nice and you get satisfaction from that,” the Burnley striker said at a press conference.

“But I said it at the beginning of the tournament: you want to be in the starting line-up.”

The Netherlands is guaranteed to reach the last 16 with at least a draw against Austria.