Belgian newspapers react to Amadou Onana’s performance v Netherlands as Everton star shines
Belgium suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Netherlands on Sunday evening, but Everton midfielder Amadou Onana was a standout performer for the Red Devils.
Onana completed 75 minutes for Belgium in Amsterdam on Sunday, with the Toffees midfielder being substituted just minutes after Virgil van Dijk scored the only goal of the game.
The 21-year-old lined up alongside Alex Witsel and Kevin De Bruyne for the Red Devils and came away with raving reviews from the Belgian media.
Daily newspaper Het Belang van Limburg gave Onana a 7/10 rating for his efforts, and said he added “power and depth” to Roberto Martinez’ side, as well as “razor sharp tackles”.
Gazet van Antwerpen also handed Onana a 7 for his performance, and said he “always thought ahead”, helping his side to challenge a very talented Dutch midfield.
Het Laatste Nieuws continued the praise, and described Onana as “big, powerful and athletic”, while they also pointed out he was the “most dangerous” player for Belgium.
Red-hot form
Regardless of if he’s in the blue of Everton or the red of Belgium, it seems Onana can do no wrong at the moment.
At just 21, he has so much potential to keep improving. He already looked like an established starter in the Premier League and is standing out in an extremely talented Belgium squad.
Some Toffees fans may have raised their eyebrows at the £33million fee paid by the club for Onana in the summer, but he’s already proved worthy of the price tag, and I imagine many Evertonians wish they’d tied him down for longer.
His all-around performance against the Netherlands was impressive. Not only did he go toe-to-toe with a high-octane Netherlands midfield, but Onana was solid defensively and looked threatening when bursting into the box.
His physicality and height only add to his talent. He’s extremely technically gifted, but it’s down to Frank Lampard to make sure he uses his height and body to improve even further.
It’s certainly an exciting time to be a Toffee, and confidence seems to be flowing in every player at the club.