Van Dijk Slams Controversial Penalty Call in Netherlands' Euro 2024 Exit

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has expressed his disappointment over the controversial penalty decision that went against his team in their Euro 2024 semi-final loss to England. The Dutch side fell to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat after Ollie Watkins scored a late winner, but the match was marred by a contentious penalty call that leveled the game for England.

In the 14th minute, Harry Kane and Denzel Dumfries collided inside the Netherlands box. Referee Felix Zwayer initially awarded a goal kick but reversed his decision to a penalty after a VAR review. Van Dijk was adamant that the call was incorrect, stating that "certain moments were obvious that they should have gone our way, but they didn't."

The penalty decision sparked outrage among fans and former players, with Gary Neville calling it "a disgraceful decision" and Jamie Carragher stating that it was "never a penalty." Van Dijk echoed these sentiments, expressing his frustration that the referee did not come forward to explain his decision.

"They keep changing certain things, small changes that could have a big impact," Van Dijk said. "Maybe it's a good thing that they could be held accountable as well. They didn't come here and speak to you and explain themselves like we have to when we do something wrong."

Despite the controversial penalty, England ultimately emerged victorious and will now face Spain in the Euro 2024 final. The Netherlands, meanwhile, will be left to rue what could have been, with Van Dijk lamenting the missed opportunities that cost his team a place in the final.

Tags: #Euro2024, #Netherlands, #England, #VirgilvanDijk, #PenaltyControversy