Joshua Zirkzee faces a setback after being excluded from the Netherlands’ matchday squad for their UEFA Nations League clash with Hungary, despite being initially included in the 25-man squad. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah opens up about his four footballing heroes, revealing the players who inspired him throughout his career. Among his inspirations are football legends like Brazilian Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and Roma’s Francesco Totti, with Salah also praising Cristiano Ronaldo’s dedication to the sport.
Zirkzee Suffers Setback with Netherlands, Another Blow
Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee has been excluded from the Netherlands squad for their UEFA Nations League match against Hungary in Amsterdam tonight.
Zirkzee had initially been named in the 25-player squad by Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman last week, joining his United teammate Matthijs de Ligt.
Zirkzee, who signed with United this summer from Bologna, has been omitted from the 23-player matchday squad chosen by Koeman for the Hungary clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Zirkzee has been dropped from the matchday squad along with Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert. According to UEFA regulations, a 23-man squad for a Nations League match must be submitted the night before the game.
Koeman, during his pre-match press conference on Friday, confirmed that two players from his 25-man squad would be excluded from the matchday squad, though he did not reveal their identities.
Zirkzee, who has netted only one goal for United since his July move, played in both of the Netherlands’ Nations League matches during last month’s international break. He started in the 1-1 draw with Hungary and came on as a second-half substitute against Germany three days later.
The 23-year-old made his senior debut for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, featuring in two substitute appearances, including one against England in the semi-finals. He scored his first goal for the national team in their 5-2 victory over Bosnia in the Nations League in September.
The former Bayern Munich player has had difficulty making an impact at Old Trafford, attracting significant criticism. However, former United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed his support for the Dutch forward earlier this month.
Van Nistelrooy said: “Josh is more of a player who is coming toward the ball and gets the team playing. In the Crystal Palace game, I thought he was excellent and showed one of his best performances.
“Another one with a lot of talent; he’s a good age and has a lot of potential to develop. We have to look after him and give him time because he will get better and be a very good player.”
Mohamed Salah Reveals His Four Football Heroes
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has revealed the four footballing heroes who influenced his rise to become a major force in the Premier League, with one of his choices surprising many fans.
Salah, 32, credits Liverpool for recognizing his potential while he was playing for AS Roma in Italy. Since then, he has become one of the Premier League’s modern greats, with his goal-scoring ability proving vital for the Merseyside club.
However, every football superstar has their sources of inspiration. Before the 101-cap Egypt international emerged as one of the greatest African players in Premier League history, who inspired him along the way?
In the latest episode of ‘Reds Roundtable’ on Liverpool’s YouTube channel, the former Champions League winner discussed the players who inspired him during the early stages of his professional football career.
The winger mentioned Brazilian Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane – both icons of the game in their own right – as his inspirations. He also cited Roma legend Francesco Totti, widely considered one of the greatest players in Serie A history.
“I love the way Ronaldo [of Brazil] was playing and [Zinedine] Zidane and [Francesco] Totti. These guys, I always looked at them and they just enjoy the game.
He also praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s commitment to maintaining peak performance, saying, “Cristiano [Ronaldo] was also the one when I started playing in Europe more, you see the way he dedicated everything to football is insane, the way he looks after himself. You can see everything, his numbers. But these guys I looked at when I was young, and I just wished to play one game with them, or to be like them one day.
It was in Rome where Salah first caught the attention of his current club, leading them to offer £34.3 million for him in the summer of 2017. During his time at Roma, he had the opportunity to play alongside the legendary Totti. The two shared the pitch 28 times, totaling 614 minutes of play. Salah reflected on their “incredible time” together, highlighting Totti’s technical skills and humble personality.
“I had a good opportunity to play with Totti, and I played with him for two years in Rome. It was an incredible time; I just loved it. He was incredible, to be fair, and his technique was insane. Very, very good person as well.”
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