The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is optimistic about his side’s chances at European Championship, and is hoping that Bert van Marwijk’s side plays better football than played in 2010 World Cup.
Rafael van der Vaart has stressed that he will only consider Euro 2012 a success if Netherlands manage to lift the trophy at the end of the competition.
The Oranje are pitted in the Group B along with Denmark, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904. The pool is regarded as the toughest, and is widely known as the ‘Group of Death’. However, the Flying Dutchmen and Die Mannschaft are the favourites in this group to make progression
to the quarter-finals stage of the tournament.
The Dutch Football Association director, Bert van Oostveen, recently revealed that he would be satisfied if the 2010 World Cup runners-up manage to reach atleast the semi-finals.
However, the versatile midfielder, who has thus far represented http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 in 96 matches, has expressed confidence that the Oranje can go all the way to lift the trophy, and has stressed that his side needs to aim higher if they are to become European champions.
“The Euros will be a success for us when we win it. And you have to say that out loud as well, because saying things like 'a semi-final is nice'... no, we were finalists at the World Cup, so we also need to have the highest ambition now. I won't say it's
now or never, but it's certainly a moment that you could describe as, 'If you can do it now, then it should definitely happen'”, Van der Vaart was quoted as saying to UEFA.com.
Despite still feeling gutted with the 2010 World Cup final loss against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011, the Dutch midfielder insisted that he hope to go one step farther at Euro.
“A lot has stayed the same since http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/South-Africa-c757. I hope we play some better football than in 2010. I had the feeling then that we could even have been better, and we hope to do that now during the Euros”, Van der Vaart concluded.
Netherlands will kick-off their Euro 2012 venture against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884 on June 9.
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