Oranje International's Famous Uncle Offers Advice to Ronald Koeman at World Cup: 'Give Them That'

Jan Poortvliet may have witnessed numerous World Cups, but he still savors every single one. "Now I just have to remember to set my alarm clock properly," he chuckles, referring to the ungodly hours of the World Cup matches in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The former finalist from the 1978 World Cup still watches as many games as possible with the same enthusiasm. He even set his alarm for Lionel Messi.

"You watch Argentina and wonder if they can reach the same level as in recent years, and they just do it again. A delightful team that plays simply and controls the game. Messi observes and moves across the field, and when he's on the ball, he shows you things that make you love him," he explains. He then enthuses about several other contenders he's seen in action. "Germany confirmed to me that they have a strong team again, I found Morocco's play delightful, and France simply ups the tempo. They bring movement, and then you see they have so much quality."

That's something Poortvliet still misses in the Dutch national team, where his nephew Jan Paul van Hecke plays. "With Oranje, it hasn't really clicked yet; the play is still a bit stiff. Players aren't performing at their peak. That has to do with tactician Ronald Koeman, who focuses heavily on the opponent. But this Oranje has so many good players, even though everyone here in the Netherlands claims otherwise."

As far as Poortvliet is concerned, the home front could be a bit more positive. "I always refer to the match in Spain in the Nations League. There, you saw that if the Netherlands plays with courage and dares to accelerate, with even more freedom in their play, they can also play very good football. If they become a bit more direct, they will perform much better."

That unwavering belief in one's own ability is something Poortvliet considers important. And if anyone knows how to successfully reach a World Cup final, it's him. In 1978, he reached the final with Oranje, where they lost to Argentina. "It truly is the tournament of your life," he recalls the feeling from back then.

He is also certain that players currently at the World Cup are wide-eyed with wonder. The atmosphere surrounding the tournament is also crucial. "You see full stadiums everywhere, columns of Dutch fans flocking to it; that brings so much with it. The longer you're in the tournament, the more you want to be on the field. We felt that too; it just feels good. You want to entertain the supporters and feel the love. That's why we should all be a bit happier. We need to get behind them together."

The tournament is especially significant for Poortvliet due to the presence of Jan Paul van Hecke. The Zeeland defender is experiencing his first major tournament, which fills uncle Jan with pride. "He should just enjoy this experience," he says enthusiastically. Despite all his experience, he barely spoke to Van Hecke about the World Cup. "I don't talk to him about what he should do or things like that. I know he wants to get the best out of himself, and I also know that everything is a growth process," he explains.

The only thing Poortvliet does enjoy doing is giving compliments. "I know how dedicated he is to football, and he's currently playing in the most beautiful league in the world. The experience of a World Cup is so special; you'll just experience it yourself. You can hardly play badly then; he just needs to do his thing."

Finally, Poortvliet wanted to give not only Van Hecke but the entire Oranje squad some urgent advice. "Let's hope Oranje grows more and more into the tournament. That's possible; you don't have to play out of your skin immediately. You can believe a bit more in your own team, because there's plenty of quality. But sometimes that needs a push. Just give them some freedom."

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