The Netherlands has been one of the few unbeaten teams at the Qatar World Cup and has been able to cruise their way into the quarter-finals of the competition. The Dutch side has been defensively strong and clinical in the attacking front, helping them grind their way to the last eight. One of the most impressive players in the competition has been right-back Denzel Dumfries, who has been a focal point of their success so far.
Denzel Dumfries Player Profile
Dumfries’ Career Ahead of World Cup
Born in Rotterdam, Netherlands to a Surinamese mother and and Aruban father – he opted to play for the country he was raised in and the one that was able to give him the platform for becoming a popular footballer. Denzel Dumfries started his professional career with the Netherlands club Sparta Rotterdam – where he spent three years and helped them get promoted to the Eredivisie in 2016.
He was signed by Dutch side SC Heerenveen in 2017 and spent just one season with them before being signed by Dutch heavyweights PSV Eindhoven. His debut season was an impressive one, as Denzel Dumfries featured in the Eredivisie Team of the Year for the 2018/19 season. After spending four campaigns with PSV, which saw him make over 124 appearances and score 16 goals – the Dutchman was signed by Italian giants Inter Milan in 2021.
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The right-back won the Coppa Italia and Supercopa Italiana titles in his first season, having scored seven goals in 65 appearances for them so far. The 26-year-old has evolved to be a hard-working, efficient wing-back that aims to dominate his side of the pitch every time.
Dumfries’ Heroics At The Qatar World Cup
Netherlands & Ajax Legend Ruud Krol: "Denzel Dumfries Has Come Into His Own At Inter" #InterMilan #FCIM https://t.co/NwGIOqKehv
— Inter Fans (@InterWhatsup) December 8, 2022
The 26-year-old has become a quintessential part of Louis van Gaal’s squad, being the ideal right wing-back that the gaffer tends to like. Dumfries has played every single minute for the Netherlands at the World Cup, making that right wing-back role his own in the competition.
He didn’t have the best of starts against Senegal, being troubled by Ismaila Sarr. Even so, Dumfries was able to help his side get a clean sheet and start off with a win. In the second game, he worked very hard to make 2/2 aerial duels and won two tackles, putting in a decent outing in the 1-1 draw.
The Dutchman had a relatively easier period against Qatar in the final game, being more intent on attacking the hosts than focusing on his defending. He made three passes into the final third and over 40 successful passes, putting in an efficient shift to help them top Group A.
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Denzel Dumfries’ performances have gotten better and better in the World Cup and his best performance came in the Round of 16 clash against the USA. He completely dominated the American side, registering two assists and also scoring a really clever goal in the 3-1 win. Along with that, he also made a goal-line clearance, three interceptions, and five ball recoveries. Doing so, the 26-year-old has definitely improved his value and helped get more attention from some of Europe’s top teams.
Dumfries’ Strengths and Weaknesses
The Dutch wing-back is a really energetic full-back with a lot of tricks up his arsenal. Denzel Dumfries can play as a right-back or a wing-back with ease and has a decent balance in terms of his defensive and attacking contribution. His biggest strength, however, is his ability to dart into the attacking areas through the wide areas.
He can help add more width to his side, being able to drag the defenders from the central areas or forcing the opposition winger to sit back more often. Dumfries is pretty rapid for a defender, being able to burst past defenders and into empty pockets of space. He loves to get into central areas when operating as a wing-back, where he can try to bring a major scoring threat and add more threat to his side’s attacking prowess.
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The Strengths and Weaknesses of Denzel Dumfries
The Dutchman is also pretty impressive in the air, averaging 1.8 aerial duels won per game at the World Cup. He uses his sturdy physicality to win a lot of duels on his side and even inside the box, helping add a little bit more strength to his side’s backline.
But Denzel Dumfries can be prone to occasional errors as well. He does tend to switch off on occasion during games, resulting in some embarrassing moments. Moreover, the 26-year-old can also be sloppy with his tackles – mistiming some of his efforts to make foolish fouls every now and then.
Despite that, Dumfries is a really lively wing-back with a real dynamic touch to his game. The 26-year-old is yet to tap into his utmost potential and still has his best years ahead of him. As long as he can avoid injuries and bring a bit more accuracy to his game – on both parts of the pitch – he is en route to becoming the best right-back in Europe.
