Emerging Star: The Rise of Thijs Dallinga in Ligue 1

Spot the intruder. Taking a quick look at the list of players who have exceeded the 10 goal mark scored in Ligue 1 this season, we see that it is, unsurprisingly, dominated by Kylian Mbappé. There are also pyrotechnicians accustomed to shaking the nets of the elite for years (Jonathan David, Wissam Ben Yedder) and others who, after having expanded their CV abroad, returned to remember good memories from the French public (Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang). And then there is Thijs Dallinga.

It is no offense to say that he is less well known than the names previously mentioned. The Dutchman is also younger (23 years old) and plays under the colors of a less posh club (Toulouse). His presence among the six best scorers in the championship, six days before its epilogue, however, owes nothing to chance. On the contrary, it wonderfully symbolizes the progression of an attacker who, this season, has changed dimension.

At the end of the day, it’s all about scoring goals and being dangerous in the box

Its first exercise in France last year already showed great promise. After a necessary period of adaptation, the man who had panicked the Dutch second division with Excelsior Rotterdam (36 goals in 44 games in 2021-22) gradually got to grips with the demands of the French championship, ending the season with 12 goals on the clock, plus six in the Cup (including a double in the final against Nantes). In short, a rather convincing assessment.

Thijs Dallinga in action during Toulouse – OL

Credit: Getty Images

During the summer, TFC changed a lot, on the bench as well as on the field. Dallinga stayed. And even if he had a delay in starting – which was nothing abnormal in a team in search of new collective benchmarks – the native of Groningen confirmed all the good things that could be said of him. In his characteristic style: that of a pure center forward, who is neither the fastest nor the most technical with the ball, but knows how to demonstrate formidable precision when finishing actions. “At the end of the day, the important thing is to score goals and be dangerous in the box,” the person soberly summed up.

The Euro in the back of my mind

The surface fox from the Netherlands has therefore established himself as one of the most reliable gunners in Ligue 1. He also distinguished himself in the Europa League, a competition in which the Violets (defeated by Benfica in the play-offs) like their number 9 (author of four goals) did well. The latter also found the net twice against Liverpool, just that. “Scoring against the Reds away and at home was a very pleasant feeling for me,” he admitted. “It was also confirmation that I could reach this level.”

Thijs Dallinga (Toulouse)

Credit: Getty Images

Thanks to his remarkable performances on the continental scene, Dallinga has attracted even more attention and his managers must undoubtedly prepare to see him leave during the next transfer window. A fortiori if he participates in Euro 2024. A goal that is anything but unrealistic since the Haut-Garonne striker honored his first selection with the Oranje last November. “I don’t know how close or far I am to going to the Euros,” admitted the new international. “But you always need a big goal, and this one pushes me to work hard.” Excellent news, certainly, for Toulouse and its supporters.

2024-04-13 18:03:00
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