Donyell Malen scored for the Netherlands for the first time in almost a year as they swept aside Greece 7-0 in the fifth round of the UEFA Nations League A group stage.
The forward also supplied two assists in an emphatic home victory, which he described as a memorable night for the team.
“As a striker, you always want to score, but ‘very eager’ might be an exaggeration,” Malen told Dutch media outlet NOS after the match. “Still, I’m very happy I was able to score.”
Malen had already played a major role in the Netherlands’ performance before finding the net, creating two goals and producing several moments of individual skill. He said his main focus had been contributing to the team rather than ending his personal wait for an international goal.
“I just really wanted to play,” he said. “It was a great night, and I think the whole team played well, which made that performance possible.”
The 7-0 result was also significant for the Netherlands as a whole, with Malen highlighting the collective nature of their display.
“Everyone is happy whenever we score,” he said. “This was an important victory, and I believe we scored some really great team goals today.”
Malen’s previous goal for his country had come almost a year earlier, although he said he had not been aware of the length of the drought until it was mentioned to him.
“No, not really. Now that you mention it, I’ve only just realised it,” he said. “I’m just happy that we earned a great win and that I had a good night.”
The forward also discussed the confidence shown in him by head coach Xavi, who said: “We must give Malen our full trust.”
Malen said he and Xavi had worked closely on how he could make the biggest impact for the Netherlands while also identifying areas for improvement.
“I’ve spoken with him at length and watched some videos, analysing how to make the most of my strengths in this team and which areas I need to improve,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of thought into it.”
He added that trust from a manager was essential for players operating at the highest level, pointing to his experience at Roma and his previous comments about feeling trusted by Gasperini.
“I believe every player who reaches a certain level needs trust and freedom from their coach, and I’m no exception,” Malen said.
Asked whether his long-awaited goal could lead to a run of further strikes – in line with the so-called “ketchup bottle theory” – Malen was cautious about predicting what would happen in the Netherlands’ matches in Germany.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I just need to create chances and do my job, and then we’ll see.”
