Stevie Bergwijn can no longer be ignored

Very briefly, after a botched position play halfway through the warm-up, there is a look at the other half. Steven Bergwijn sees Lionel Messi among Barcelona players. And then continue, imperturbable, with his own warming. From the ridge of the stadium, the attacker looks very small: 1.78 m, he is purely muscular. Playing ball with Luuk de Jong and Hirving Lozano are many fellow scorers in PSV's attack. What brings home the Champions League win against Barcelona, ​​the last chance to spend the winter in the Europa League? A pat in the grass, as he always does, and just catacombs inside.

In 2008, a ten year old Amsterdam boy living in a Spanish hotel was proud of the image with Barcelona's Messi idol, then 21 years old and long-haired. . Bergwijn was just seventeen when he started in PSV's first game. Become a taste buddy in the first division, now at age 21 and after his first three international matches, do not stray from the attack of the new Oranje. Dribbles, helps, goals. Steep climb. "Bergwijn is at the top, perhaps at the European summit," said PSV coach Mark van Bommel in October in the football magazine VI . "Already already."

No more boy love photos, but proven in the world of football. Bergwijn is one of two strikers alongside Lozano, De Jong drops in the middle of the field. To fight to win duels, that's all. Gaston Pereiro hits the post and misses a chance close up. Bergwijn sees an action from the right fail. After a break, just before the break, he unceremoniously gets the hand of an opponent in the face. On the free kick, De Jong was heading for the crossbar.

Messi, on the other hand, walked, cowering at times. Some warning shots are about to be stopped or stopped. Then, this unprecedented dribble, in the 41st minute, had three PSV players. University of Applied Sciences, as the Argentine maestro had already decided on the duel in Barcelona (4-0) with three shots almost alone. Mountain wine has to work harder in a team with less possession. And between three Barcelona players, he can not find a place.

To read also: The PSV after losing the European winter football

Still with Nouri a duet

At the beginning, from the youngest teenager of Ajax, the intuitive dribbler. Appie Nouri and Stevie Bergwijn were as good as ever Gerald Vanenburg and Marco van Basten, says author Henk Spaan in his moving ode Nouri about the Ajax player who was hit a cardiac arrest in the summer of 2017. persistent brain damage. "They were the deadliest duo of the Dutch battlefields," according to Spaan, until Father Bergwijn shakes the trainer with a white handkerchief, as he keeps his son on the couch. Then at the PSV

"Maradona", this sounded last year after his masterpiece at FC Utrecht (1-7): a dribble of 25 meters, five men including goalkeeper and goal . But with the passionate dribbler, you do not need Bergwijn, says David Endt. The former Ajax team leader saw him play in youth and concluded that the attacker learned crucial things. "He's developed dramatically.Everything he's doing now is focused on the impact of the team.He can score, but he's also watching the players who are out there."

This is precisely what makes Bergwijn exceptional. He is not only able to dribble at high speed toward the enemy's goal in the busiest parts of the field, even after an action that he keeps in sight nowadays. Netherlands-France: perfect ball diagonal on the "big brother" Memphis Depay. Spurs-out: Donyell Free grinding for the keeper. Saturday, against Heerenveen, a smooth pass move, a custom-made center (1-0) and a split pass through the axis that leads to the third goal.

Figures this season? Five goals, seven assists and a handful of opportunities created. It is logical that the biggest foreign clubs are interested in him, although he signed in 2022 at the beginning of the season.

After an hour, Bergwijn is frustrated when his shot on goal is unchecked. Less than a minute later, Messi slalomed after a brace with Dembele in the penalty area with an unprecedented dribble on two PSV players. The ball was difficult to pierce in the upper corner. After the 0-2 (Gerard Piqué), Bergwijn misses a big opportunity, as later, Lozano. What's left of the promising dribbler is the public applause when he is replaced in the 78th minute. Watch Messi for fifteen minutes and applaud when De Jong scores 1-2. Good lesson.