- Veerman was substituted after 33 minutes after a difficult performance
- He covered his face after receiving a pat on the back from boss Ronald Koeman
- Listen to It all starts! Playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield was a ‘progressive move, but unfortunately it didn’t work’
Fans have admitted they felt sorry for Dutch midfielder Joey Veerman after his early withdrawal during his side’s defeat to Austria.
Veerman and Co played their third and final group match of the tournament knowing their qualification for the last 16 had been confirmed, but had to find out where they would finish in Group C.
It didn’t end the way they wanted, with a third-place finish overall, but they’ve already cemented their place in the first knockout stages as at least the best-placed third-place team.
That’s how it ended for the Dutch, after they lost 3-2 to group winners Austria in their last match, setting them up for a likely match against England.
However, it was double the pain for Veerman, who withdrew after just 33 minutes after a difficult match.
Fans felt sorry for Joey Veerman after his early withdrawal against Austria at the 2024 European Championship
The midfielder was taken off the field after 33 minutes after a half-hour nightmare
He had been widely criticized for his performance in the run-up to his departure
“A terrible moment in his career, but he knows he had to do better,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Another wrote: ‘Veerman is in shock so far.’
Former Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, meanwhile, said: “I felt sorry for Joey Veerman. I was glad he got sent off because it actually became super sad to watch him play.”
Another fan echoed the call, writing, “I’m sorry but Veerman’s performance was terrible!”
Veerman, who plays his club football for PSV, lost possession on 55 percent of his touches and also managed a passing accuracy of just 47 percent.
He was seen with his head in his hands and covering his face as he sat on the bench after his withdrawal, and also received a pat on the back from manager Ronald Koeman.
The 25-year-old was replaced by Xavi Simons but Netherlands’ fortunes struggled to improve as they eventually lost 3-2, with Koeman’s side trailing 1-0 at the time.
Veerman started his side’s opening match against Poland before being eliminated against France, which was reinstated on Tuesday.
He was replaced by Xavi Simons, although the Netherlands still lost the match overall
The midfielder was linked to Real Madrid this summer after an impressive season with PSV.
A Madrid fan posted on social media: ‘I don’t know why Veerman thinks he has the level to play for Real Madrid.’