Donyell Malen is poised to make his 50th appearance for the Netherlands in their friendly match against Norway.
Malen’s Form and Role
Malen, currently playing for AS Roma, has made a strong impression, scoring eight goals in his first twelve Serie A matches. He describes himself as an attacker in good form, eager to play. When asked if he considers himself a striker, the position where he shines for AS Roma, or a winger, where he is often used for the Dutch national team, he stated he just feels like an attacker in good form.
Malen’s form contrasts with his time at Aston Villa, where he was primarily a substitute. With the World Cup in mind, Malen transferred away from the Premier League with the approval of national team coach Ronald Koeman. Malen called Koeman to discuss his situation in England and his feelings about a transfer. Koeman agreed with his decision.
Milestone Match and Modest Expectations
In his 49 previous appearances for the Netherlands, Malen has been a substitute 28 times and a starter 21 times, scoring 13 goals. Interestingly, his goalscoring rate is higher when coming off the bench. Malen will start against Norway, marking his fourth consecutive start for the national side, a first for him.
Malen maintains a humble outlook. He stated that whether he is a substitute or a starter does not make a big difference to him, and that he just tries to be important for his team. He prefers to let his performances on the pitch speak for themselves.
Pride in Representing the Netherlands
Following the game against Norway, Malen, along with Wout Weghorst, will be presented with a commemorative scale by KNVB director Marianne van Leeuwen to mark his 50th cap. He expressed his pride in reaching this milestone, especially considering his humble beginnings in Westerland. Malen reminisced about his childhood in Westerland, where he grew up. He recalled playing football in clogs as a child, a big fan of the Dutch national team.
Malen has been part of the national team setup for six and a half years. However, the upcoming summer tournament will be his first World Cup, having missed out on selection for Qatar 2022.