Orange captain Virgil van Dijk will not play with the OneLove bracelet at the World Cup. The KNVB succumbs to pressure from world football association FIFA, which has threatened sanctions.
“We stand for the OneLove message and will continue to spread it, but our first priority at the World Cup is to win the games. Then you don’t want the captain to start the match with a yellow card. That is why we as a UEFA working group, KNVB and as a team have had to decide with pain in our hearts to abandon our plan.
The football association and selection of national coach Louis van Gaal wanted to spread a positive message with the OneLove band, for connection and against all forms of discrimination. England, Wales, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark also support this action. It is not yet known how they will respond to FIFA’s sanctions.
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| Schedule
The Dutch national team opens the World Cup against Senegal on November 21 at 5 p.m., one day after the opening game Qatar-Ecuador. Look at the complete schedule inQatar. View the special World Cup match center here!
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