“It was also really shocking for me,” says Micky van de Ven about his debut in the pre-selection of the Dutch national team. As a result, there is a chance that the 21-year-old defender from Wormer will be allowed to go with the Orange to the World Cup in Qatar next month.
He read the news in the Van de Ven family’s group app. His father’s girlfriend had forwarded a screenshot of the selection. It contained new names such as Mitchell Bakker, Xavi Simons and also that of Micky van de Ven. “What is this?” he thought. In the meantime, his e-mail also contained the confirmation, and it was only then that everything really dawned on him. Van de Ven is having a strong season in Germany and played all eleven league matches at VfL Wolfsburg from start to finish.
A day before the match of his club VfL Wolfsburg, Van de Ven heard the news. He would travel with his team to the other side of Germany that day for the game against Bayer Leverkusen. “I was so upset. It was my first call-up and then immediately for a World Cup selection, which is of course great.”
Call of Gaal
Usually players speak to the national coach after they have been selected for the Dutch national team, but there was no call between Louis van Gaal and Van de Ven. “Maybe that will come,” says the former FC Volendam player, who acknowledges that the defense at Orange is currently very strong. With Nathan Aké, Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt and Stefan de Vrij, he has to tolerate a number of big names in the pecking order. “So it will be difficult.”
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The final World Cup selection of the Dutch national team will be announced on November 11. Until then, he will play four more league matches with VfL Wolfsburg. The Orange squad will play its first World Cup match against Senegal on November 21 at 5 p.m. (Dutch time).
An extensive report on NH Sport with Micky van de Ven will follow shortly.