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Sports / Football

Noppert relishing new role as Dutch number 1

Published: 08 Dec 2022 - 08:52 am | Last Updated: 08 Dec 2022 - 08:53 am
Peninsula

First international start, first World Cup, Netherlands goalkeeper Andries Noppert is enjoying a fairytale run in Qatar. The Dutch goalkeeper, who plays for Eredivisie side Heerenveen and - now the Netherlands national team, has been immense for Louis van Gaal’s side. 

The Dutch coach had surprisingly dropped veteran keeper Jasper Cillessen – they were suddenly without a number one heading to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 after missing out on the 2018 edition of the tournament.

With Noppert, Feyenoord’s Justin Bijlow and Ajax’s Remko Pasveer – the Netherlands had goalkeepers with only eight caps between them before the tournament.

Ahead of their opening match against Senegal in Qatar, Van Gaal remained tight-lipped as to his number one, but many reports suggested the 28-year-old journeyman Noppert would be a back-up. Van Gaal, however, shocked everyone and thrust him into the starting line-up, a position he has held on to, putting on some magnificent performances since then.

“For me, every game is the same. I am going into the nets to catch the ball,” said Noppert at the team’s training base in Doha.

“I have, in my opinion, the best defence in front of me, so I’m not worried about the game we play. The goal is that we win the title,” he added.


Netherlands’ Andries Noppert grabs the ball during the Round of 16 match against United States. REUTERS

Noppert also disclosed that his goal is to win the World Cup. However, the Dutch face an uphill task against Lionel Messi and Argentina. 

“For me, it’s not pressure. I don’t think so. I don’t feel it. I have one goal, and that’s to get the World Cup, and it’s not pressure that we haven’t won the World Cup yet. This is the most important thing.”

Asked about keeping out Messi’s penalties, Noppert who stands at 2.03m, or 6'8, and is the tallest player at the 2022 World Cup, said, “It depends on the moment -- he can also miss, and we’ve seen it in games in this tournament.

“He is the same as us; he is human. For sure, he is good, but for sure, I can catch penalties,” he added.

Defender Virgil van Dijk also said the Dutch are preparing to play Argentina and not just Messi, adding the goal is to knock out the South Americans. 

“Of course, we know that Messi is very good. But Argentina has a lot of good players. It is not the Netherlands against Messi but the Netherlands against Argentina. 

“There is a hunger, dreams and a feeling that we really want to get it (the World Cup trophy),” the Liverpool defender said.

The 31-year-old insisted this is an opportunity for the European side to claim the elusive title, but they must get past one of the greatest players to do that. 

“When in the quarter-finals, you are only three games from glory. This is our opportunity.”