In World Cup 1994 qualifying, England suffered controversy against the Netherlands as Ronald Koeman avoided a red card and a penalty after fouling David Platt. England manager Graham Taylor declared that his team had been “cheated”. Now, England face Koeman’s Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on Wednesday, where England only need a draw in Rotterdam.
In a memorable World Cup 1994 qualifying match against the Netherlands, England experienced controversy when Ronald Koeman avoided a red card and a penalty after fouling David Platt. England manager Graham Taylor famously lamented, “You know we’ve been cheated, don’t you?” to the assistant referee, blaming the referee’s decisions for his eventual resignation six days after England’s failure to qualify, despite a 7-1 win over San Marino.
Koeman, now managing the Netherlands for a second stint after coaching Southampton, Everton, and Barcelona, has since admitted fault, acknowledging in 2018, “It was a clear foul.” He expressed relief that the incident was deemed a free-kick rather than a penalty, a decision that he felt would have resulted in a red card in modern football.
Despite mixed results historically against the Netherlands, England’s standout victory over them came at Euro 1996. Led by performances like Paul Gascoigne’s iconic goal against Scotland, and notable doubles from Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, England’s victory showcased a memorable performance that echoed the spirit of total football.
