Justin Kluivert points to former PSV player: “I’m ready for that”

After a difficult season characterized above all by the necessary injuries, forward and midfielder Justin Kluivert is still making it to the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup. Against Tunisia, Kluivert played the first minutes of the tournament, while the current Bournemouth player against Japan (2-2) and Sweden (5-1) was still on the bench for the entire match.

If it were up to the attacker himself, there’s still more in the pot for him during this World Cup. Kluivert says this in an interview with Algemeen Dagblad.

Thereby the attacker points to former PSV player Mario Götze. Götze was active for Die Mannschaft at the 2014 World Cup, where the midfielder, as a substitute for striker Miroslav Klose, fired Germany to their fourth world title in the final at the expense of Argentina (1-0).

''Very often, big matches are decided in the late stages. Often by substitutes. That’s what I’m counting on. That’s what I’m ready for; that’s what I train for every day, incredibly hard. And yes, I picture it too. I’m looking for that one moment where you can be extremely important for Oranje''. says the international to AD.

In addition, Kluivert says that for months he maintained contact with national team coach Ronald Koeman to keep Koeman informed about his fitness. ''The national coach knows my qualities; he knows that the months leading up to the World Cup were tough for me. He has to make choices, but I am absolutely delighted that I played at a World Cup for the first time against Tunisia,'' the forward says.

Kluivert also talks a lot with his friend and former PSV player Noa Lang. ''We found each other a bit because our situations are comparable. We share that with each other. A selection consists of many more players than the eleven starting players and the coach can only select eleven. We are a team, that’s important'', the forward said.