On the evening of June 16, in the first round of Group D matches at the European Championship, the Netherlands faced Poland. For this match, the Netherlands’ starting goalkeeper was Bart Verbruggen.
At just 21 years and 303 days old, Bart Verbruggen has etched his name into the history books as the third youngest goalkeeper to ever appear in the Euros. He is also the youngest since Spain’s Iribar in 1964 to feature in the tournament.
Verbruggen is not only the current guardian of the Dutch national team but also a new beacon of hope for fans of the Oranje. Dutch media believes his composed performances add significant weight to the Netherlands’ chances of winning the Euro title. In his debut Premier League season, he swiftly established himself as Brighton’s first-choice goalkeeper, featuring in 21 of the team’s 38 games, effectively displacing Robert Sanchez and becoming a solid anchor in the defensive line.
Having emerged from Zwolle, Verbruggen made a name for himself in various youth national teams. It wasn’t until last October, in a crucial Euro qualifying match against France, that he earned his first senior national team cap. Since then, he has firmly held onto his spot as the starting goalkeeper, with seven appearances and an impressive five clean sheets showcasing his abilities.
However, the Netherlands conceded a goal in the 16th minute of the first half against Poland, putting Verbruggen and his teammates under pressure.