Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp has reacted to the comments made by Virgil van Dijk over the goal conceded by the Netherlands on Thursday night.
Felix Nmecha fired Germany in front in the 32nd minute, but Cody Gakpo rescued a point in stoppage time for the Oranje in Thursday’s UEFA Nations League 1-1 draw.
However, things got heated between the players following Nmecha’s strike in Amsterdam, which came after Brian Brobbey suffered a suspected hamstring injury.
Despite the Dutch striker being in pain, Germany opted to play on and subsequently put the ball in the back of the net.
This prompted a furious response from the Netherlands players, with Van Dijk branding the decision to allow the goal to stand a ‘disgrace’.
Speaking after the game, Klopp clarified the situation and he saw the incident differently to his former Liverpool captain.
Virgil van Dijk reacts after Felix Nmecha’s goal. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
He said in his post-match press conference: “It certainly wasn’t a disgrace. The goal was completely legitimate. I don’t have a guilty conscience.
”And I would have one if it weren’t legitimate. I would have taken it anyway, but I would have had a guilty conscience. I don’t have one.”
Klopp then added: “I would have told my players that they had to keep playing.
”They [Netherlands] didn’t. And we took full advantage of it with a really excellent move. Great cross, great run. Felix was where he needed to be – and he smashed the ball in.
”It certainly wasn’t a disgrace, but when emotions are running high, you can say anything in the heat of the moment.”
Juergen Klopp alongside Virgil van Dijk during the warm up before the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Netherlands and Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Germany captain Joshua Kimmich backed his manager’s comments, and felt that Van Dijk misinterpreted the incident.
”I played a pass to Philipp [Treu], he crossed the ball, and we scored a goal,” the Bayern Munich and Germany captain said.
”The referee stops the game, especially when a player has a head injury.
”It is the referee’s responsibility to determine whether the player is seriously injured.
”I didn’t hear a whistle, so the game continued completely correctly.”
Brobbey is expected to be out for some weeks in what would be a brutal blow to his club Sunderland and the Dutch national team.
