ZEIST, Netherlands (AP) — Netherlands top scorer Memphis Depay recovered from injury just in time for coach Ronald Koeman to include him in his 26-man squad for the World Cup next month.
Depay was one of three players who have recently returned from injury to be selected Wednesday by Koeman. That was despite his limited playing time leading into soccer’s global showcase being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Depay, the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer with 55 goals, on Sunday made his first appearance in several weeks for his Brazilian club Corinthians after recovering from a thigh injury.
“I’d have preferred … it happened earlier,” Koeman said, adding he’d have to “wait and see” just how fit Depay is.
If Depay struggles for fitness, Koeman also has in-form Roma forward Donyell Malen.
Justin Kluivert, the son of Dutch great Patrick Kluivert, has also just returned to fitness after surgery to repair a knee injury and was picked along with defender Jurrien Timber, fresh from winning the Premier League with Arsenal, but also only recently returned to fitness. Timber’s brother Quinten also was named in the squad.
Koeman called up one debutant — West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville — and surprisingly left out Liverpool wingback Jeremie Frimpong, saying he often struggles with injuries.
Asked about his qualities, Koeman said Summerville has “speed, action, his play without the ball in defense. Very trustworthy.”
Midfielder Xavi Simons was ruled out of the tournament in April after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a match for Tottenham against Wolverhampton and defensive stalwarts Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt are also missing through injury.
In a bubble
The Netherlands is a three-time World Cup finalist but has never won international soccer’s greatest prize. It lost in 1974 to then West Germany, in 1978 to host Argentina and to Spain in 2010 when Andres Iniesta scored a goal late in extra time.
Koeman was realistic about his seventh-ranked team’s chances.
“Well, we’re competing to win, but I’m well aware of the reality and what other countries can bring. So, yeah, nothing is impossible, and that’s what we’re going for,” he said. “I’m convinced that we can go far and that we have a team that is hard to beat. But to win a few matches against big countries, that is still a long way off.”
Koeman said he was going to stop reading media and social media as his team prepares and throughout the tournament.
“You are in a bubble, focused on performance … everything else that comes from outside is a distraction,” he said.
And Koeman doesn’t want to get involved in activities outside his team’s media commitments at the tournament — regardless of who is asking.
“I don’t think that I’m going to a photo opportunity with the team because (US President Donald) Trump, (FIFA President Gianni) Infantino want us to stand in front of a church or some water for a picture,” he said. “No, that’s not going to happen.”
Koeman captained the Netherlands when the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994 when the Dutch lost 3-2 to eventual champion Brazil in the quarterfinals. He also was in the team when the Netherlands won its only major international title, the 1988 European Championship.
The Netherlands opens its Group F campaign in Dallas against Japan before taking on Sweden and finally Tunisia.
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Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton).
Defenders: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven), Quinten Timber (Marseille), Mats Wieffer (Brighton).
Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Donyell Malen (Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham), Wout Weghorst (Ajax).
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
