Memphis Depay's performance in the World Cup debut is criticized by the Dutch press
- By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial
Memphis Depay made his first appearance at the 2026 World Cup last Sunday. The Corinthians striker entered the field in the second stage of the 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan, a duel valid for the opening round of Group F and played at the Dallas Stadium, in the United States. After the match, the number 10's performance became the target of negative evaluations in different international press outlets.
The most scathing criticism came from the Netherlands itself. Local publications pointed out that the players used by Ronald Koeman throughout the second half were unable to maintain the level presented by the starters, and Memphis was cited as one of the names that contributed little to changing the course of the match.
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Volkskrant and Algemeen Dagblad highlighted the lack of intensity of the athletes who came off the bench and included the Corinthians striker among those who were unable to offer a response to the team. In some analyses, the player's performance was described as "lazy".
"The substitutions were a total disaster, with emphasis on Memphis Depay's apathetic/dragged performance", wrote Willem Vissers, head of reporting at Volkskrant.
The VoetbalPrimeur portal followed a similar line. According to the publication, Memphis practically did not participate in the offensive actions after entering the field and ended up symbolizing the drop in performance of A Clockwork Orange in the final minutes of the match.
The analysis highlighted that, when the attacker was called in, the Netherlands still maintained a 2-1 lead. However, the team lost control of the actions and was unable to manage the result, conceding the equalizer shortly before the final whistle.
Telegraaf adopted a less incisive approach. The newspaper had been following the player's physical recovery process before the start of the World Cup and, after the debut, assessed that Memphis had not yet reached its best competitive condition, although Ronald Koeman continues to show confidence in the striker.
The negative repercussions went beyond Dutch borders. The British agency Reuters stated that the Corinthians player had "little impact" during the period he was on the field. The text highlighted that the athlete is still looking to fully recover his rhythm after being sidelined for more than two months due to physical problems.
In Spain, the newspaper Marca also mentioned the discreet performance of the number 10. For the vehicle, the Netherlands lost offensive strength after the changes promoted by the coach, and Memphis was unable to present the expected response to get the team back on track.
Like Reuters and part of the Dutch press, the Spanish daily considered that the attacker is going through a process of physical and competitive recovery, a factor that may explain his lackluster performance against the Japanese.
A member of Group F, the Netherlands shares the bracket with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia. The draw in the debut guaranteed the first point for the European team, which appears in third place. The leadership goes to Sweden, who beat Tunisia 5-1, while Japan occupies second place.
The next match for the team led by Ronald Koeman will be on June 20th, Saturday, at 2pm, against the Swedes, at NRG Stadium, in Houston. The Dutch participation in the group stage will end on June 25, at 8 pm, when they will face Tunisia at Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas City.
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Source: Timao Central