they crushed him after the last friendly » “No chance… It's the symbol of the mediocrity of the championship!”
Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 10:45 am / Updated on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 10:48 am
Donyell Malen (27 years old), used as a central striker by the selector Ronald Koeman in the last friendly played against Uzbekistan (2-1), competed in the misses. For this reason, the player of AS Roma was harshly criticized: “If Holland cannot score on such occasions and against modest opponents we have no chance at the World Cup.”
The statement belongs to the former double Eredivisie champion with Ajax and Twente Enschede, and former Danish international striker. Kenneth Perez crushed Malen (bought by Roma for 17 million euros in total) from the position of ESPN television station analyst.
Perez: “And the Italians say that 'Malen shows the problem of their football. How mediocre it has become, if Malen can excel'!”
“I went to a golf tournament where there were a lot of Italians and they said: “Malen shows the problem of Italian football. How mediocre he has become, if he can excel in this environment». Even they admitted that Serie A is worthless!”.
Kenneth Perez, former PSV and Ajax striker, currently analyst at ESPN / Foto Imago Images
Perez expects Donyell Malen to make the bench for the World Cup starting on Thursday. “I think Memphis Depay will simply be the starting striker. The coaches will still have doubts because Malen wastes big chances. For any selector, these misses of his are really annoying”.
14goals in 18 games played at AS Roma had Donyell Malen in the last championship. Broke Mario Balotelli's record as the player transferred in the winter market who scored the most in a season in Serie A
The Dane was not just a solitary voice. The goalscorer of AS Roma was also attacked by a compatriot, much more relevant for Dutch football.
Huntelaar: “Malen can't shoot the ball well and I don't understand him. He just needs to finish. In Roma, he gives everything on the pitch”
“He sees the keeper go wrong at a corner and is afraid to shoot. But he absolutely had to score.” said to NOS Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the former striker who played in 76 matches for the national team of the Netherlands, scoring 42 goals.
Donyell Malen misses alone with the Uzbek goalkeeper from the edge of the small box
“He can't recover the ball well and I don't understand. In Roma, he gives everything on the pitch. It is positive that he managed to find the right position and even had a situation where he could have won a penalty.
Maybe it was a little too easy, but it is often found in such situations. He just needs to finish,” concluded Huntelaar, the former top scorer with 7 goals in 30 appearances for AC Milan.
