The Netherlands Takes a Major Step Towards World Cup Qualification with Victory Over Malta, Featuring Jurrien Timber as Centre-Back
Jurrien Timber, who typically plays as a right-back for Arsenal, has assumed a different role while representing his national team.
Out of Timber’s 20 international appearances, only three have been as a right-back, the last being in March 2023, according to Transfermarkt stats.
The 24-year-old primarily plays centre-back for the Netherlands and has also appeared three times at left-back. In the match against Malta, Timber partnered with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in the center, receiving positive feedback for his performance.
The lineup included some surprising changes for fans of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven deployed at left-back and Liverpool’s Jeremie Frimpong playing as a winger.
Frimpong has played as a winger in only one of his seven matches for Liverpool, and van de Ven has been on the left side just three times for Spurs. Nonetheless, Timber typically operates as a centre-back for the national team, while Frimpong is known as a winger and van de Ven primarily is a left-back.
The makeshift setup posed no threat to the team’s chances, as Timber played a key role in securing a clean sheet during their 4-0 triumph.
Following the match, the Netherlands remains at the top of their World Cup qualification group, three points ahead of Poland in second place. A win in their next game against Finland would significantly strengthen their position ahead of a crucial encounter with Poland on November 14th.
Only the top team from each group earns automatic qualification for the final tournament, while the runner-up secures a spot in the playoffs.
Though the Netherlands is not yet guaranteed a top-two finish—Finland is only three points behind with several games left—a victory over Finland on Sunday would at least ensure a playoff berth.
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