National Coach Ronald Koeman Clear After Question About Ryan Gravenberch: 'There's Absolutely No Point'

Gravenberch remained on the bench during Euro 2024. However, at the current World Cup, he has started the first two matches. The Liverpool player also attended Wednesday's press conference ahead of the final group stage fixture, strongly suggesting he will start against Tunisia.

"A lot has changed in the past two years. I've been playing more for my club, which has allowed me to secure a starting spot," Gravenberch commented on his progress since the Euros. "It feels good to play in the World Cup; it's the biggest stage. So, it's great to be a part of it."

Koeman concurs. "It's true that he wasn't playing much, and you only truly develop when you're playing weekly," he explained. However, the national coach believes there's still room for improvement. "I think he still has development potential. Also, verbally and in recognizing game situations. But he has made significant strides."

"There's absolutely no point in talking about two years ago," he continued emphatically. "Because in those last two years, he's made huge progress, and he's playing now. That's what it comes down to."

The Netherlands will conclude their World Cup group stage campaign on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a match against Tunisia. Kick-off is at 6:00 PM local time, which translates to 1:00 AM Dutch time on Friday morning. Should Oranje finish as group winners, a trip to Mexico awaits in the Round of 32. The Netherlands would then play in Monterrey on Monday night into Tuesday morning at 3:00 AM Dutch time.

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