SoccerBible Meets Rafael van der Vaart
The Netherlands are amongst the favourites to lift the Euro 2012 trophy. And thanks to a brand new Nike kit, they are also contenders for the best dressed team on the pitch.
SoccerBible caught up with Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart to get his view on the new home shirt and talk about his hopes for the upcoming tournament. After the heartbreak of the 2010 World Cup Final, the midfield maestro is hoping Holland can put that right this summer.
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What do you think of the new shirt Nike have produced for Holland at Euro 2012? Van der Vaart: I love it! Orange is a great colour to wear on the pitch and the design of the shirt looks good. It s a tight fit which is great, in the past we looked at Italy and their slim fitting shirts. I m pleased it is made using recycled bottles which I believe is something special.What do you think of Holland s chances in the tournament? VDV: I hope we can achieve a lot. We ve got a good squad. We re a great team with players who play for big clubs in big leagues. We have got a really tough group and it will be difficult but we ll be ready. We have the experience of the 2010 World Cup Final and of course, this time we are hoping we can achieve something very special. Who are the potential match-winners in the side? |
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VDV: You must score goals to win games and we have a lot of great players who can score goals. Robin Van Persie, Klass-Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and me. There are many players who can perform in big games.
You are a few matches away from reaching 100 caps. Frank de Boer is the record outfield cap holder with 112. Have you set yourself a target?
VDV: I haven t set a goal. I just want to play as many games as I can and be important for the national side for as long as possible. I m still 29 and if I can stay fit and keep playing for the team then maybe I could reach the record. When I was a boy, I was just hoping for one cap and I dreamt of scoring one goal for my country.
Which boots will you wear at the tournament?
VDV: Nike CTR 360 boots. They re great. I ve been wearing this model for a few years. The most important thing on the pitch is that your boots fit and you feel comfortable. If you feel you are in control, you can perform better. They are good for me as an attacker and I like the fit of them.
Do you remember your first ever pair of boots?
VDV: When I was five or six, I had the same pair of Lotto boots as Ruud Gullit. The ones with the big tongue.
Do you think Scott Parker would be a good captain for England at Euro 2012?
VDV: Scott is the archetypal player who should be a captain. He s a leader and loves to talk in the dressing room. He s always positive and helps the other players.
Which of your Tottenham team mates are you most impressed with?
VDV: We have a great squad with a lot of excellent players like Bale, Modric, Adebayor, Scotty Parker and Kaboul. Kyle Walker is a young player who has come up and done very well. Aaron Lennon adds a lot of pace to the side. Assou Ekotto is playing very good to.
We ve heard that Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is fed up with players cutting off their football socks at the ankle. Are you a culprit and why do the players do it?
VDV: Some players prefer to play wearing tennis socks inside their boots and their football socks cut off and taped up. We always train in short tennis socks. I ve cut my socks a few times, but sometimes I do and sometimes I don t. It doesn t make much difference to me.
Who is the most stylish player at Tottenham?
VDV: I have to say me! I d say Assou Ekkotto is the most special at Spurs because he changes his hairstyle every two months. It makes him stand out!
Would you try to encourage any of your international team mates to join you at Tottenham?
VDV: They all have contracts at big clubs. Maybe I would like to play with some of them for Spurs, we don t really talk about that.
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Do you have a favourite ever shirt? VDV: I like the Real Madrid shirt. It is beautiful and it was a dream for me to play there. How do you like to relax away from football? VDV: I live with my family in London. My wife and I have a little boy and I love to play in the garden with him. I like to do normal family things like take my boy to school. Sometimes we ll go to the movies and I like to eat good food. I really love sushi, I m almost addicted to it. Do you enjoy any other sports? VDV: I am a big fan of tennis. I like to play and watch tennis but my main talent is football.With the Spurs training ground being in Chigwell, have you ever watched The Only Way is Essex on TV? |
VDV: Yes, I love that show! My wife started watching it so I ve watched a few shows with her. I like the characters, it is fun to watch. I ve even recognised some of the people from the show in Chigwell.
Busy times with interviews, yesterday sat down with @SoccerBible to talk about #Euro12lockerz.com/s/200988325
- Rafael van der Vaart (@rafvdvaart) April 13, 2012
Can Rafael van der Vaart help inspire his country to European glory this summer? Let us know what you think of Holland's chances in Poland/Ukraine. Share your thoughts and join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
Netherlands fans - the official KNVB Shop is now live! Visit it at: www.knvbshop.nl
