The legendary midfielder lauds the PSV winger’s fearless composure and tactical intelligence following a sensational international debut defined by a match-saving assist against heavyweights Germany.
Ruben van Bommel has continued to attract praise after making an immediate impact on his Netherlands debut, with former international Wesley Sneijder and ex-Feyenoord defender Ben Wijnstekers both highlighting the PSV winger’s composure and quality.
Van Bommel made his Oranje debut against Germany last week and needed only a short time to announce himself. Coming on as a substitute, he produced a superb assist for Cody Gakpo in stoppage time, helping the Netherlands secure a 1-1 draw in Xavi Hernandez’s first match as national team coach.
The 22-year-old’s pass has since been widely discussed, with Sneijder, who earned a record 134 Netherlands caps, particularly impressed by the confidence behind the decision.
“Nice, fantastic. That you have it in your head, that's super. Then you're an advanced player. But the execution and the willingness to do it, he has that confidence as well,” Sneijder said on Rondo on Ziggo Sport, as quoted by PSV Inside.
The former midfielder focused on Van Bommel’s awareness of the situation rather than simply the technical execution of the pass.
“Normally, a player keeps running and goes through the middle or around the outside. But he sees the moment and dares to put it down.”
Sneijder also pointed to the trust required to attempt such a pass under pressure.
“That is trust, and he obviously has that. Sometimes the ball is also so positioned that you can’t do anything else but play with your outside foot. You see the moment happen and then he’s there like that, then you can’t do anything else. But then you still have to do it. Nine times out of ten, they then choose something else.”
![Sneijder was particularly impressed by the confidence behind Van Bommel's decision-making [Reuters]](https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9b0f9baa-c092-4b49-8b33-d35469407d5f.jpeg)
Sneijder was particularly impressed by the confidence behind Van Bommel's decision-making [Reuters]Van Bommel’s performance has also caught the attention of Wijnstekers, who praised the PSV player in De Telegraaf and awarded him a rating of seven.
Wijnstekers stressed the difficulty of entering an away international so early in a career, particularly without significant experience at that level.
“It’s really not easy to have to come on so quickly as a substitute in an away match if you don’t yet have much international experience and you’ve only just started out. But speaking of cool frogs…”
The former Feyenoord player was impressed by the way Van Bommel continued to take responsibility after his debut.
“He, just like against Germany, makes actions that you look at in amazement. The nice thing about him is that he passes through just as easily from the outside as from the inside.”
Wijnstekers also highlighted Van Bommel’s mentality, noting how little his demeanour appeared to change despite the occasion.
“His gaze is stoic and he has focus. Quite remarkable, especially when you know that recently, something has happened to him at Ajax. He has taken it to heart, but it hasn't thrown him off balance.”
Van Bommel has since remained part of Xavi’s Netherlands setup, with Oranje following the Germany draw by securing a 2-1 victory away to Serbia. His debut assist has ensured that his arrival on the international stage has been accompanied by considerable attention from former Dutch internationals and observers of the game.
