'A fit Memphis Depay is on par with Messi and Ronaldo'

The experiment with Malen leading the line against Norway yielded an acceptable outcome, though the AS Roma forward didn't find the net. However, his depth and pace were noticeable against an offensively minded Norway. In such matches, Malen might be a better fit than Memphis, but Kieft anticipates that opponents at the World Cup will adopt a very different approach against Oranje.

'At the World Cup, the Netherlands' opponents will play more defensively and concede less space. A striker will then need to operate more effectively in tight spaces and drop deep to receive the ball. The qualities of Memphis Depay and Brian Brobbey would then be more beneficial than those of Malen, who thrives on through balls. It would be logical if national coach Ronald Koeman starts Brobbey against Ecuador on Tuesday,' Kieft writes in his column in De Telegraaf.

If it were up to him, Koeman would unequivocally choose Memphis Depay for the World Cup. The Corinthians player, however, needs to be fully fit, something he has struggled with in previous major tournaments. 'When you compare Dutch strikers to the abundance of quality attackers in other nations, it's not exactly uplifting. For instance, the Netherlands doesn't have a Mbappé, Kane, Ekitiké, Olise, Alvarez, or a Messi or Ronaldo. Depay, partly due to injuries, has never truly shone at a major tournament. If he's fit this summer, he can certainly compete at the level of these top strikers.'

Due to the uncertainty surrounding Depay's fitness, Koeman must experiment with other options leading up to the World Cup. However, Kieft doesn't fully grasp the hype surrounding Brobbey. 'The celebratory stories about Brobbey are quite overblown, by the way. He's doing well at Sunderland, a mid-table Premier League team, but it's not as if he's performing so brilliantly that he's leaving every defender in his wake. Brobbey is popular, due to his playing style and his presence. Yet, six goals and one assist in 26 appearances isn't particularly outstanding.'