It will not be news that the Netherlands put on the most thuggish performance in the history of the World Cup final yesterday, what with breaking the record for most yellow cards for both teams by themselves en route to getting nine of 10 outfield starters in the book. No account of the game has gone without a sneer at Mark Van Bommel’s magic ability to not get kicked out of every game or what can only be described as Nigel De Jong’s flying ninja kick on Xabi Alonso.
Stuart Holden Has Personal Experience On The Wrong End Of The De Jong Ninja Kick
At the gathering I went to, discussion centered around how to do that move in fighting games from Mortal Kombat to Street Fighter to Tekken. If you are female, you have probably received a mysterious call from your grandmother warning you not to date any Dutch boys. No expense has been spared to inform the world of what a reprehensible team of divers and goons have mysteriously occupied Dutch shirts for the past month. Italy may have departed the World Cup, but their ghost lives on. Etc.
Suffice it to say things were rough, but few commenters have had the sort of up-close and personal experience with the demonic Dutch holding midfielders that this guy has:
Holden was in the midst of establishing himself as a USMNT regular and up-and-coming EPL winger. His broken foot cost him a month of critical prep time and he ended up playing just eight minutes in the USA’s World Cup campaign. And all this happened in a friendly.
Long story short, everyone hates Holland now and when Spain scored because the Dutch were down to ten and the attacking replacement for De Jong scuffed a clearance, Stuart Holden likely laughed long and loud, lifting a wee dram of the finest scotch he had on hand to his lips.
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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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