Van Dijk praises Netherlands' response after Sweden rout

Virgil van Dijk praised the Netherlands' performance after their 5-1 victory over Sweden at the FIFA World Cup 2026, calling it an 'outstanding' display that secured top spot in Group F.

The Dutch captain, speaking to FIFA after the match, expressed pride in his team's response following a frustrating 2-2 draw with Japan in their opening fixture. 'I think we were outstanding for most of the match. We were very solid defensively, strong going forward, and scored five brilliant goals,' Van Dijk said. 'Now we're on to the next one.'

Defensive challenges against Sweden's attack

Van Dijk acknowledged the difficulty of containing Sweden's attacking duo of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres. 'It wasn't just them,' he emphasised. 'Of course, we're well aware of the quality they possess; I know them well, especially Alex (Isak). In the first half, right up until the water break, we were doing very well. After that, they changed their system and let Alex play freely, drifting and cutting in from the left. We struggled a bit with that, because he was always unmarked. In the second half, we changed that, of course, and went back to playing very well.'

The Liverpool defender stressed the importance of perseverance against such quality opponents. 'It's always been about seeing it through to the end (against them); even when they create chances, you have to keep going, because the quality is there.'

Bouncing back from Japan draw

The Netherlands' opening match saw Van Dijk score a goal that put the Dutch ahead until the 89th minute, when Daichi Kamada equalised for Japan. Despite the late setback, Van Dijk felt the reaction to the draw was overblown. 'I think the outside world underestimated Japan a little; they're a great team. That match was always going to be difficult. The reactions after that game were a bit – I wouldn't say disrespectful, but… Japan were unbeaten for a while; they went a spell without conceding a goal. They beat Brazil, England and Scotland. It was always going to be tough.'

'Coming away with a draw, conceding a goal at the end – of course that leaves a bitter taste. But there were plenty of positives in that match, and that's what we've been building on this week. I think today showed what we did well, especially in the first half of both halves. In the end, it's all about winning, and we won 5–1. We'll recover and move on to the next match.'

Next match and group standings

The victory over Sweden was the Netherlands' first win of the tournament and moved them to the top of Group F. The Oranje will face Tunisia in Kansas City on 25 June in their final group match.