Tottenham's Micky van de Ven dazzles Dutch media with ‘incredible’ moment
Micky van de Ven was one of the few Netherlands players who impressed the media in their 1-0 friendly loss to Algeria on Wednesday night.
The Tottenham Hotspur star started at left-back as Ronald Koeman’s side slipped to a defeat in their penultimate friendly before the World Cup.
Van de Ven endured a tough campaign at Spurs as they battled against relegation, but could well be a key man for his country this summer.
The 25-year-old looks to have established himself as Koeman’s first choice on the left of a back four, as opposed to his usual centre-back position.
He could be involved in Tottenham’s transfer plans as several clubs eye a move, but first, Football Insider have looked at some opinions from the Netherlands on how he played against Algeria.
Dutch media laud Micky van de Ven for standout moment in Algeria defeat
The Netherlands are heading to the World Cup ranked seventh in the world by FIFA, but do face some tough tests in Group F against Japan, Sweden and Tunisia.
Koeman’s side were on a 14-game unbeaten streak stretching back to October 2024 before Algeria’s late win in Rotterdam on Wednesday.
Feyenoord star Anis Hadj Moussa scored the winner in the 86th minute, but Van de Ven had already been taken off at half-time in a series of planned changes by the boss.
Voetbalprimeur issued ratings for the hosts after the game, and focused on one moment in particular that made Van de Ven stand out from his teammates as he was given a 7 out of 10 rating.
They said: “In the 28th minute, he prevented an Algerian goal with an excellent sliding tackle. Van de Ven also made his mark on the attack with his runs forward.
As well as that, Voetbalflitsen handed him a 6.5 rating and said: “His rating is largely down to a single moment. The way he thwarted Amoura’s Algerian chance with an incredible sliding tackle was top-notch.
"He also looked physically dominant and strong in defence throughout. A solid first half, capped off by a play that was practically a goal-saving intervention.”
What is the latest on Van de Ven’s future at Spurs?
Spurs are set to lose a few key players this summer following a dismal 2025-26 season that nearly saw them relegated from the Premier League.
Van de Ven could be one of those moving on, with his impressive aerial and physical traits making him a prime target for top sides.
He has been a regular at the top level for several seasons now and clearly has the potential to go on to even bigger things.
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Liverpool are accelerating a move to sign Van de Ven in the coming weeks.
Spurs are set to bring in numerous new defensive additions as a result, with fellow Netherlands star Jan-Paul van Hecke looking set to leave Brighton for North London in his place.