Euro 2024

FANS have been left disgusted by Ronald Koeman’s repulsive act on the bench during Holland’s Euro 2024 opener.The camera cut to the Dutch boss on the touchline as his side took on Poland.Ronaldo Koeman appeared to be caught picking his noseCredit: BBCFans were disgusted as Holland’s boss then put his finger in his mouthCredit: BBCEURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENTAnd it caught the moment Koeman rubbed his nose before wiping his hand.He then stuck one of his fingers up his nose before putting it in his mouth, much to the disgust of fans.One reacted saying: “Why did he eat it like it was a tasty snack😭”Another added: “Bro got caught lacking in front of millions of people 😭”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLA third wrote: “Disgusting 🤮”And another commented: “That’s wild 😂”Joachim Low infamously grabbed headlines for his nose-picking when he managed Germany.Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri was also caught in the act during a conversation with Jose Mourinho on the touchline.Most read in Euro 2024Netherlands Euro 2024 guideRONALD KOEMAN has overhauled Holland’s playing style after returning for a second stint in charge.

Captain Virgil van Dijk will be expected to be a stalwart in defence while Xavi Simons will be hoping for a breakout tournament. But they may miss injured Frenkie de Jong.
MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
Ex-Barcelona and Everton boss was the scourge of England as a player when he knocked Graham Taylor’s side out of World Cup qualifying in 1994.
STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool star has won everything there is to win at club level and will be counted on to keep things tight at the back.
How Holland attack
The Netherlands will play with a typically Dutch patient possession-based build-up.
They will stagger their positions to play through the lines, but can be overly individualistic in the final third.
How Holland defend
The Dutch will play with a medium block, allowing the opposition to break the first line before engaging in the midfield area.
They can run into problems when they fail to protect the middle of the pitch.
Read the full Netherlands 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags

Koeman masterminded a comeback victory for Holland, who beat Poland 2-1 after substitute Wout Weghorst netted a late winner.Liverpool star Cody Gakpo cancelled out Adam Buska’s opener with a deflected effort, while Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a last-gasp save to ensure the win.SunSport’s Euro 2024 headlines More

DUTCH fans were in great spirits ahead of their country’s Euro 2024 opener against Poland.But one unfortunately found himself down a pint after being whacked by a stray ball.A Dutch fan was hit by a stray footballCredit: X formerly Twitter / @BBCSportThe supporter was caught at the precisely wrong momentCredit: X formerly Twitter / @BBCSportThe supporter dropped one of his pintsCredit: X formerly Twitter / @BBCSportThousands of supporters rocked up to Hamburg decked in their famous Oranje kits.In footage captured before the match, beaming fans could be seen clutching pints in the stands.As one noticed a camera panning across, with pints in both hands, he gleefully raised one of them towards it… only to quickly be left in shock.In his big moment, the Dutch supporter was struck by a stray football, presumably a wayward warm-up shot.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt struck the fan in the chest, before rebounding onto one of his hands, knocking one of his pints flying and leaving him seeing stars.Incredibly, however, his other pint remained remarkably intact.Despite the initial shock, he managed to retain a sturdy grip on his remaining drink.The fan’s pal to his left, who was gripping two pints, also managed to avoid any spillage.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSReacting to the moment on social media, one fan wrote: “Well held sir.”While a second erroneously echoed: “Not a drop spilled, well played sir.”SunSport’s Euro 2024 headlinesEURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENTAnother added: “Fair play he still held the beer! Knight this man.”The stunned fan’s afternoon threatened to get worse within the first 20 minutes of the match, when Adam Buksa headed in Piotr Zielinski’s corner to give Poland a shock lead.Things got better for the Oranje on the half-hour, however, when Cody Gakpo’s deflected shot fortuitously found its way into the back of the net.Boss Ronald Koeman eventually threw on Wout Weghorst, with the former Manchester United loanee providing an instant impact.With virtually his first touch, the lanky forward swept home Nathan Ake’s through ball to seal his side’s 2-1 win.Wout Weghorst was the hero for HollandCredit: AFPNetherlands Euro 2024 guideRONALD KOEMAN has overhauled Holland’s playing style after returning for a second stint in charge.

Captain Virgil van Dijk will be expected to be a stalwart in defence while Xavi Simons will be hoping for a breakout tournament. But they may miss injured Frenkie de Jong.
MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
Ex-Barcelona and Everton boss was the scourge of England as a player when he knocked Graham Taylor’s side out of World Cup qualifying in 1994.
STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool star has won everything there is to win at club level and will be counted on to keep things tight at the back.
How Holland attack
The Netherlands will play with a typically Dutch patient possession-based build-up.
They will stagger their positions to play through the lines, but can be overly individualistic in the final third.
How Holland defend
The Dutch will play with a medium block, allowing the opposition to break the first line before engaging in the midfield area.
They can run into problems when they fail to protect the middle of the pitch.
Read the full Netherlands 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags More

A FORMER Sunday League goalkeeper who suffered a serious head injury is heading to Germany for Euro 2024.George Parkin, 25, netted himself a VIP trip this weekend when he won a Paddy Power Penalty Shootout competition.Former goalkeeper George Parkin is heading to Germany for Euro 2024Credit: paddy powerParkin joined thousands of other die-hard football fans to battle it out for the chance to watch England try and bring football home.Participants joined actor Danny Dyer, Tottenham legend Ledley King and ex-Southampton and Everton star James Beattie at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road to try and claim the title of England’s best penalty taker.The sudden death shootout saw the final five scoop themselves and three mates a VIP weekend to Germany with £5,000 spending money.And after being one of those winners, former shot-stopper Parkin explained how he has had an unusual route to the Euro 2024.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe said: “I’m a goalkeeper, so I know more about how to save goals than score them. The pressure was mad!“I used to play quite a lot as goalie for Gorleston FC up in Norfolk, but I got a really bad head injury and stopped playing most 11-a-side games after that.”Parkin was left hospitalised after suffering a nasty head injury against Great Yarmouth Town in 2018.He added: “I came out the area to head it clear and got clattered by the striker. Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENT”I ended up with a fractured eye skull and fractured skull in three places – and on Boxing Day of all days!”Luck wasn’t on Parkin’s side that day six years ago, but he certainly had bit more luck in the shootout last weekend.Play Foden & Bellingham centrally & go for it! | Jack Wilshere’s plan to win the EurosHe said: “I actually missed one of my penalties on the day, but I got a second chance. “I think no one scored in one round of the comp, so there was a PA announcement that anyone who missed could have another go and I was off like a shot to the front of the queue. “Even then I got lucky. I missed two penalties, but some other lad missed three so I got through to the final!”Now Parkin is heading to Germany and, like a lot of England fans, will be hoping his boss won’t be too mad about him missing some work in favour of the football.He explained: “I’m meant to be in work on Saturday all day, but I had warned them about this penalty competition and if I won it I’d not be able to work. “But I don’t think they thought I was going to actually win one of the seats on the plane!”England get their Euro 2024 campaign underway tonight with a Group C clash against Sebia.Parkin is taking his family over to Germany alongside himCredit: paddy power More

MANCHESTER UNITED flop Wout Weghorst spared Dutch blushes – with the sort of impact he could only have dreamed of providing.The striker, who spent last season on loan from Burnley at Hoffenheim after failing to make much of an impact at Old Trafford, was Ronald Koeman’s emergency option after the Oranje looked to have run out of ideas.Wout Weghorst fires his side into a late leadCredit: APWeghorst, 31, celebrates his crucial winnerCredit: GettyAnd with his very first touch – and just seven minutes left in an increasingly nervy Volksparkstadion in Hamburg – Weghorst came up with the magic moment to take the points.United fans may not have seen Weghorst as a natural frontman during his half season under Erik ten Hag, failing to find the net in 17 Prem outings.Indeed, he was more of a laughing stock than the answer to their attacking woes, more carthorse than thoroughbred.But when Nathan Ake, not for the first time, drove to the edge of the box and slipped into the danger area, Weghorst reacted quicker than the Polish defence to crash low and first time past Wojciech Szczesny.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt was instinctive and deadly, a moment of quality that had seemed unlikely as his side had huffed and puffed without looking like blowing the Polish house down. Weghorst was mobbed by his team-mates, Koeman danced in delight and the Dutch fans screamed with joy. Victory meant so much, relief and ecstasy combined.Bart Verbruggen’s late stop to foil Poland substitute Karol Swiderski ensured it capped a comeback win from a match that highlighted both Holland’s strengths and their evident weakness.Despite going a goal down from a sucker punch set-piece, as Adam Buksa somehow managed to elude four navy-shirted markers to find the back of the net, the Dutch dominated most of the game.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSEURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENTSome of their passing was excellent, clever triangles and quality movement.Yet even Virgil van Dijk looked shaky at times, Verbruggen was called into action more than Koeman would have wanted and when Poland did push they exposed raw nerves.Watch as German TV broadcast is interrupted by footie legend at Euro 2024 as he apologises for what he did 18 years agoEven after Cody Gakpo’s deflected effort put them back on terms before the half-hour mark, the longer it went on the more that failure to take their openings looked likely to frustrate them.That goal was down to Ake, too, as he intercepted a panicky clearance to feed Gakpo, delighted to see the deflection off defender Bartosz Salamon to wrong-foot Szczesny.Memphis Depay, whose own spell in United red was almost as underwhelming as Weghorst, was the main culprit, but the misses were spread around Koeman’s side.Credit should go to Poland’s resolve, especially with the absence of hamstring victim Robert Lewandowski a massive blow.But if Depay, Gakpo, Denzel Dumfries or Xavi Simons had kept their heads as well as Weghorst did in his moment of triumph the afternoon would surely have been a great deal less frantic.Depay’s brilliant white headband only served to exacerbate the limitations of his display as he became increasingly angst-ridden.Gakpo, despite having the freedom of the left flank and with that equaliser in his pocket, was equally wasteful.The Liverpool man’s worst miss came just before the break, scooping over the bar from six yards with the outside of his right foot after great work by Ake had teed him up.Adam Buksa heads Poland into the leadCredit: AFPBuksa celebrates his pinpoint headerCredit: ReutersEither side of that – after Szczesny made a great save from Van Dijk corner volley when the Anfield skipper went up to make amends for being outsmarted and outjumped by Buksa – Depay was the guilty party.Simons, found by the impressive Tijjani Reijnders, touched into his path 14 yards out with the target begging but Depay sent the ball almost into orbit as he opted for power over precision.A shocker, by any standards.And in stoppage time, picked out by another great Ake delivery, he scuffed wide of the target. Beyond poor.It was a pattern that was to continue in the second period, as Holland were the dominant force but lacking the courage of their own convictions.Szczesny rescued his side as he prevented Dumfries’ deft nod back finding Depay in front of the net after Gakpo’s searching delivery straight after the restart.Then when Gakpo broke from his own half to beat the offside trap, Simons thrashed across his shot and sent it sailing into the crowd behind Szczesny’s goal.Poland had been on the back foot but nearly caught the Dutch cold again when Jakub Kiwior – denied from similar range in the first half – stayed up from a free-kick and tested Bart Verbruggen from 14 yards, sparking a rare spell of attacking intent.Yet Holland came again.Dumfries was a fraction wide with an angled drive and then denied from closer range by the keeper’s legs, before Stefan de Vrij sent a free header soaring far too high.That miss appeared to be a killer, only for Weghorst, just on for Depay, to have the ultimate word.READ MORE SUN STORIESGood enough for three points, for sure. And after all, when the tournament was held in Germany in 1988, Holland won despite losing their opener.But they did not look like potential winners in Hamburg. Not even close. And next up, France.Cody Gakpo lets fly from the edge of the boxCredit: GettyGakpo is congratulated by his team-matesCredit: AFPRobert Lewandowski was stuck on the benchCredit: Getty More