Football Icon Wesley Sneijder Makes Striking Revelation About Unique Journey with Louis van Gaal: 'I Was Slaughtered'

Sneijder found himself in a challenging period of his career. Following the disappointing Euro 2012 campaign, Sneijder struggled with fitness issues and, according to critics, carried excess weight. Van Gaal made it clear that the former Ajax, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan player would only be considered for the World Cup in Brazil if he was in peak physical condition. The national team coach implemented strict measures.

Sneijder was stripped of his captaincy and omitted from the squad on several occasions. Van Gaal's message was unequivocal: only a fit Sneijder had a future with the Oranje. This hit the playmaker hard, but he resolved to do everything in his power to keep his World Cup dream alive. Sneijder continued training diligently during his vacation and fully regained his physical prowess.

At Galatasaray, he had already shown glimpses of returning to his former level in the latter stages of the season. Van Gaal noticed this improvement. The national coach was impressed by Sneijder's fitness when he reported for national duty. Ultimately, he played six matches at the World Cup, completing five of them, including two extra-time periods. Only before the third-place playoff did Sneijder have to withdraw due to a muscle injury.

Twelve years later, the record international looks back on that period with mixed emotions. In the podcast Wes & Raf, Sneijder speaks candidly about Van Gaal's tough approach. "It was a long road," Sneijder recounts. "Van Gaal was right, but I was truly slaughtered, and everyone had to hear about it. He needed a scapegoat. Fine, I accepted that because I had one mission: to go to Brazil."

The former international then fully committed to Van Gaal's plan. “I started training incredibly hard. At a certain point, I entered a period where I became match fit again. That's when I knew I would be called up again.” During a training camp in Portugal, one ultimate test remained. “The numbers came back... They were so good that he didn't believe it. He said: you have to do it again."

Sneijder passed with flying colors once more. "That's when I knew: this would be tough, but I went all-in and listened. That goal against Mexico (in the round of 16, ed.) felt pretty good," the former top footballer laughs. After the successful World Cup, where the Oranje secured third place, Sneijder was content with everything.

"I didn't need to eat with everyone anymore; I wasn't really in the mood for that. Before Van Gaal gave his speech, I left, and then it was over," said Sneijder, who didn't see the Oranje in a major tournament in the subsequent years. He ultimately played his last international match in 2018.

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