Denzel Dumfries is a phenomenon. Or a phantom? Let’s say: both. Actually, his offensive defensive position should not even exist in classic Dutch 4-3-3 football. As a right full-back, who he is playing in a five-man defensive chain these days, he is an absolute rarity in the Oranje chronology. Even more phenomenal, however, is that the 25-year-old, previously hardly known internationally, has advanced to become the most conspicuous player of the Dutch team at the European Championship from this inconspicuous position.
In the 3-2 win against Ukraine and in the 2-0 win against Austria on Thursday evening, he was more or less directly involved in all five goals. He scored two goals himself, prepared one specifically and initiated two more. The stars of this team are actually called: Memphis Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt. Their market values are astronomical. But the new star in the orange sky is Dumfries, a pecuniary still undervalued footballer who plays at PSV Eindhoven under the German coach Roger Schmidt and most recently with the German professionals Mario Götze, Philipp Max, Timo Baumgartl, Adrian Fein, Lars Unnerstall and Vincent Müller. His contract with PSV is valid until 2023. From now on, Dumfries will be scrambling for the best clubs in Europe – but it will certainly not be cheap. His advisor, Mino Raiola, is one of the most cunning and feared representatives in the industry.
Dumfries’ father comes from the Caribbean island of Aruba, the mother from Suriname in northern South America. He was born in Rotterdam and at the age of 17 played twice for the national team of Aruba. At the age of 20 he was appointed to the Dutch U20. His first international match was in the Nations League against Germany in October 2018. The Netherlands won 3-0 and plunged the Löw-Elf into a crisis. Dumfries played 90 minutes as a right-back in a four-man defensive chain in the classic Dutch 4-3-3. At that time he was not involved in any goals because he did not act as aggressively under bond coach Ronald Koeman as he is now with Frank de Boer in the 5-3-2 system.
Dumfries was more or less directly involved in all five of the Netherlands’ goals
But at the EM now Dumfries is big. Before Wijnaldum’s 1-0 win against Ukraine, he brought the ball in from the right, before Wout Weghorst’s 2-0 he sprinted the ball powerfully into the penalty area. Five minutes before the end he even headed the 3-2 winner after a cross from Nathan Aké. That was his first goal for Oranje.
Before the 1-0 win against Austria, David Alaba stepped on his foot in the penalty area. Memphis Depay converted the due penalty. And Dumfries scored the final goal to make it 2-0 again: in the 67th minute on presentation of Donyell Malen, his 22-year-old colleague from PSV Eindhoven. Dumfries was named Player of the Game by UEFA after both games. “Nice that I was able to be there for all five goals,” he said on Thursday night at the press conference and had to laugh spontaneously at so much seemingly absurd humility. He probably feels like he is in a dream, but prefers to keep a low profile. He told ARD in an interview: “The tournament is still long and our focus is on a bigger story.”
Oha. It sounds as if Denzel wanted Dumfries, as if the Netherlands actually wanted to become European champions. And coach de Boer also said on Thursday night: “We have to keep growing in the tournament, but let’s see what else we can see; let’s see where it all ends.”
The Dutch EM placement should no longer be relevant for the future of Denzel Dumfries. He’s already made the breakthrough. Bayern Munich’s sports director Hasan Salihamidzic is said to have contacted the consultant Raiola. And he would certainly not be the only one. Offensive and dangerous right-backs are currently as rare as they are coveted in the industry. In at least two games (Monday against North Macedonia and the Sunday after next as group winners in the round of 16 in Budapest) he can continue to show what he can do. And maybe even in more games. It is also up to him how far the Netherlands get at this European Championship.
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