Euro 2024: Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman accuses VAR of 'breaking football' in defeat to England

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman expressed disapproval of the video assistant referees (VAR) for "ruining the game of football" following England's controversially awarded penalty in the intense Euro 2024 semi-final on Wednesday.

The Dutch team scored first with a strong shot from Xavi Simons, but Gareth Southgate's team had a chance to equalize when Harry Kane was fouled by Denzel Dumfries after Kane had taken a shot that went over the bar.

There was no penalty initially, but referee Felix Zwayer later awarded one after being instructed to review the footage by VAR.

Kane scored from the penalty spot to tie the game, and substitute Ollie Watkins scored a late goal in the 90th minute to help England secure a spot in the final on Sunday against Spain.

Koeman expressed his belief that it was not fair for the penalty to be given.

"He kicked the ball and the boots collided. I believe we are unable to play effectively and I blame VAR for that. It truly ruins the game of football."

Former England player and ITV analyst Gary Neville thought the Netherlands had a valid reason to feel upset.

"As someone who plays defense, I believe it's a completely unacceptable choice," he stated.

"I don't think that should have been called a penalty. They were just trying to defend the shot, not intentionally commit a foul. In my opinion, it was not a penalty."

Former England forward Alan Shearer stated on BBC Radio 5 live: "It's clear that there was contact, but the defender [Dumfries] was attempting to prevent the ball from going in."

Harry Kane's successful completion of the play was a surprise to me, and I didn't think it was a ridiculous mistake that caused us to lose possession.

Virgil van Dijk, the captain of the Netherlands and Liverpool, believed that the penalty call was the moment that changed the game.

"I believe the penalty kick was a significant moment in the game, giving England a boost in confidence," he stated.

I believe a lot of calls didn't go in our favor, but I prefer not to talk about the referee.

Even though the Netherlands' dream of winning their first European Championship title since 1988 was crushed, Koeman expressed his support for England in the final.

Spain have possibly been the top team in Euro 2024, coming out victorious in all their matches. However, Koeman believes that Southgate's team has the potential to win their first big title since 1966.

He said that England played very well in the first half, especially after falling behind 1-0.

This is about soccer. If you watch all the games of the Spanish team, you may notice they are playing aggressively, with fantastic wing players and good ball control. You have to find a way to counter that.

"England has made it to the final and could potentially come out as champions. Spain is performing well, but there's a chance for England to defeat them. It's definitely worth considering."