Netherlands coach Koeman: 'Difficult to accept' Euro 2024 exit

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said it's "difficult to accept" the Euro 2024 exit after a 2-1 defeat to England in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

"I'm disappointed with the final result in a match that started really well for us," Koeman said in a news conference.

The Dutch side took an early lead thanks to Xavi Simons. While Harry Kane equalized from the spot, Ollie Watkin scored a late winner to secure England a ticket to the final against Spain.

"After that (Simons' goal) we had some difficulties in midfield to stop the good players like (Jude) Bellinghan, (Phil) Foden. We didn't control the game.

"We made some changes. Then the feeling in the last 20 minutes was that we were the better team, attacking more. But the knock-out was a great goal and then it was over. That's difficult to accept," Koeman said.

Koeman criticizes VAR and questionable penalty

England were awarded a controversial penalty after Kane was challenged by Denzel Dumfries and following a VAR check. Koeman said that, in his opinion, it wasn't a penalty.

"He (Dumfries) kicked the ball and the shoes touched. I think we cannot play proper football and this is due to VAR. It really breaks football," he said.

Captain Virgil van Dijk also criticized the decision and referee Felix Zwayer: "The fact that he ran straight into the dressing room says it all."

"I wouldn't have given the penalty. But in the end, VAR intervened - and we have to accept that," added.

Former England player Gary Neville said it was "a scandalous decision," while former England defender Jamie Carragher wrote on X: "Never a penalty."

Zwayer's appointment to be in charge had already caused a stir before kick-off. The German was given a six-month ban in 2006 by the German Football Federation (DFB) over his part in a match-fixing scandal.

Koeman: "We will come back"

The Netherlands entered the game as slightly favourites after showing good performances in the 3-0 last 16 win against Romania and the 2-1 quarter-finals victory against Turkey.

Koeman said that "we should be proud, we achieved many things in the past few weeks."

He also thanked the fans and the players "because they believed in something," and stressed: "Now it's too late, we can't do anything, but we will come back."