Wout Weghorst's goal against Argentina has become part of football folklore. Three and a half years ago, the striker scored the equaliser for the Netherlands against Argentina in the eleventh minute of stoppage time. Although the Dutch eventually lost the quarter-final on penalties, Weghorst's strike – a clever finish after a short free-kick routine from just outside the penalty area – made headlines around the world.
"Of course, people still remind me of it, especially abroad. It was a legendary moment," says Weghorst. "It happens on holiday and quite often at airports. South Americans, particularly those who aren’t Argentinian, come up to me, ask for a photo and bring up the story. It also comes up regularly at birthdays and other gatherings, how special and incredible that moment was."
Weghorst himself is focused on what lies ahead. "I want to write a new chapter in the book, and I’m really looking forward to the World Cup. My role remains the same as always. I want to be important for the Netherlands and have as much impact as possible on the team and our results. And of course, becoming world champions is the ultimate goal."
The 33-year-old could come up against two fellow Ajax players in the Netherlands’ opening match against Japan on June 14: Itakura and Tomiyasu. The latter reveals that the fixture has already been a topic of conversation in the Ajax dressing room for some time.
"Of course, we've talked about it. Mainly in a normal and relaxed way, not really in a joking way," Tomiyasu says when asked whether there has been any banter. "A lot of the Dutch players in the squad asked us about the World Cup and about Japan’s strengths."
Ambitions
Speaking of those qualities, Tomiyasu (27) is not shy about his ambitions. "I think we have a chance of winning the World Cup. Of course, it will be very difficult because it’s one of the hardest tournaments in the world to win. Not only for Japanese players, but for anyone."
However, the defender also has another clear objective. "Above all, I want to enjoy the World Cup. I wasn’t able to do that in Qatar, and I don’t have many good memories of it. We were knocked out by Croatia on penalties and unfortunately, my performance wasn’t good. I wasn’t able to produce the level I wanted."
As a result, the defender is determined to make amends. "I want to focus on myself and give everything for my country. I’m very proud to represent Japan. Hopefully, we can go far, and I can enjoy the World Cup as well, because it remains a very special tournament."
Ko Itakura was also making his World Cup debut in Qatar, but he looks back on the experience more positively than Tomiyasu. "It was my first World Cup and an amazing experience for me. Of course, we weren’t happy with the final outcome because we wanted more, but I learned a great deal."
Japan began the tournament spectacularly with a victory over Germany, with Itakura (29) providing the assist for Takuma Asano’s winning goal. "It was a difficult match, especially in the first half," he recalls. "But we came back strongly and won 2-1."
According to Itakura, the resilience shown in that match perfectly reflects the spirit of the Japanese national team. "We never give up, and we push each other to go to the limit in every match."
Weghorst's shirt
For the second consecutive World Cup, Itakura opens the tournament with Japan against the country in which he plays his club football. "It’s great to face the Netherlands. They have an excellent squad, and we’re really looking forward to the match." As far as Itakura is concerned, one outcome is already certain. "I think Wout and I will swap shirts afterwards."
Japan topped their group in Qatar before being eliminated by Croatia in the round of 16. Josip Šutalo was part of the Croatian squad, although the defender did not make his first appearance of the tournament until the third-place play-off.
"In 2022, it was mainly a valuable learning experience. I made my debut for the national team that summer and was pleased to be part of the squad in Qatar."
For this World Cup, Šutalo has higher ambitions. "Four years on, I am, of course, hoping to play a bigger role. I now have a European Championship under my belt as a regular starter and have also gained a lot of experience at Ajax. The European Championship ended with an exit in the group stage, which makes us even more determined to perform much better this time."
Silver and bronze
Croatia and World Cups have been a successful combination over the past decade. In 2018, the Croatians finished runners-up to Spain, while four years later they secured third place. Croatia lost the semi-final to Argentina before defeating Morocco in the third-place play-off.
"In the past, and certainly at the last two World Cups, Croatia have performed very well. I believe we have a squad capable of going far, but we will take it one step at a time. With England, Ghana and Panama, we certainly have an interesting and challenging group."
