Football Icon Marco van Basten Causes a Stir with 'Negative' World Cup Remark About Oranje

Marco van Basten has been a rare sight as a football analyst on Ziggo recently, due to his wife's health. However, "San Marco" has now made his voice heard again in the Italian media, where he delivered some striking statements about both Italy and the Dutch national team.

Speaking to the Italian press about a new book on AC Milan, which also features Van Basten, he scrutinized the dramatic state of Italian football. "There are currently many foreign owners in Italy who have nothing to do with the history of the clubs, nor are they interested. That's a shame," he began his commentary with Sportmediaset.

"It's very important to get Italian football back into Italian hands. Only then can they return to the top of Europe," continued the 61-year-old Van Basten, who also criticized his former club AC Milan. "They are no longer what they once were. But I continue to follow them and hope they recover quickly. Now Inter dominates, and I don't like that at all."

Italy's national team, the Azzurri, also came under fire. "They lack stars now. Italy always had a great goalkeeper, a great defender, a great midfielder, and a great striker. Nowadays, you hardly see them anymore, and that's strange." But he truly caused a stir at the end, with a remark about the Dutch national team.

"I'm a fan of the Dutch national team, but I don't expect anything from them," he explained. "So I will be cheering for Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil at the World Cup." Van Basten had previously indicated on Ziggo Sport that he didn't expect national coach Ronald Koeman and his team to go very far in the World Cup. That's why he's choosing to support his good friend Ancelotti.