Ahead of the UEFA Nations League opening match between the Netherlands and Germany, former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart gave an exclusive interview to German media outlet Bild.

Which German player would you naturalize for the Dutch national team?

Sané! And then, as an assistant coach, I'd put pressure on him every day. This guy has Mbappé's talent, but he never really shows that level, which sometimes makes me almost angry. You get the feeling he plays like a coward, but his potential is truly enormous.

Would you prefer Xavi or Klopp as the new head coach of the Netherlands?

Xavi would be a pleasant surprise. I think he'd be a good fit because he comes from Barcelona and understands Cruyff's philosophy. I'm also pleased that Klopp is now coaching the German national team; 59 is the perfect age for a national team coach. Something special happens at every one of his press conferences, and I love that! The most admirable quality in a coach is when players give everything for him, and the players at every club he's managed have always done that for him.

For which coach would you go to the ends of the earth?

Thomas Doll! He was full of energy and captivated me from the start. The first time we met, he pulled out a piece of paper and said: "Barbarez plays here, Lauth there, and you'll be behind them—you can do everything." Of course, I thought that was fantastic!

Had to pay 230 euros for a taxi because of Thomas Doll

I was late, and the guys wouldn't pick us up. I thought: "Doll, you left your best players here? What's going on?" However, the lesson was effective—Van der Vaart was never late for the team bus again.

Which pre-match speech will you never forget?

During my first match for Real Madrid, Mourinho told stars like Kaká, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo: "As long as you do what I say, we can win every match." I thought that was great!

Which Dutch coach best inspired players before a match against Germany?

Van Hanegem, Advocaat's assistant coach. He hated Germany. Back then, the animosity between the two sides was much stronger. In the dressing room, he reminded us of the 1974 World Cup final defeat and our 1988 European Championship semi-final victory, and not to dwell on the loss.

When did the Dutch realize they had to beat Germany?

From the moment I was born!

As a pundit, you once said Van Dijk turned as slowly as a Boeing 747 and were criticized for it. What do you think about that now?

Television is supposed to be entertaining and lighthearted. In Germany, people always take everything too seriously. We used to tell Reinhardt from Hamburg: "You turn to receive the ball as slowly as the Queen Mary 2." I really had no malicious intent with those comments.

Obviously, Klopp supports Van Dijk—like his own son, and I appreciate that. If anyone is always positive about Van Dijk, it's me. In the Dutch national team, there's a lot of discussion about whether he should be part of the rebuild, but I think he's much better than Van Hecke, whom Tottenham bought for 60 million euros, so Xavi was right to call him up.

What would your value be today?

I'd say 150 million euros, but then I'd sound arrogant (laughs).

Does it bother you when people call you arrogant?

No, not at all. Matthäus and Hamann say what they want in Germany too—I'm fine with that. It's only hard to accept when my son or family is insulted or when incidents happen, but I don't even read those things myself.

Which Bild story made you the laughingstock of the Netherlands?

I remember Bild photographed my left big toe and wrote "Magic Foot" next to it. It was a good story for Bild, but all the Dutch people made fun of me.

In 2007, you tried to force a transfer to Spain, even posing for photos in a Valencia shirt, which caused huge controversy. What's your first reaction when you look at that photo today?

I was thin, lean, young—and foolish! Of course, I deeply regret what I did; it was indeed a mistake. But at the time, I was really frustrated and desperate to leave, and the Spanish journalists said: "If you take this photo, you'll be transferred tomorrow!" If my father or Sylvie had been home at that moment, none of this would have happened. But at that time, I really couldn't refuse. In the end, it was a complicated story, but it had a happy ending. I knew I had to give everything and score lots of goals to win back the fans' hearts—and I did.

Traduit par IA.

Le site web d'AF est désormais en ligne ! Actualités complètes, commentaires, détails des matchs et statistiques sur votre ordinateur. Visitez : www.allfootballapp.com