On 1 June Georginio Wijnaldum gave Holland a 2-1 win over Poland, driving his 13th goal of the season into the top corner of Wojciech Szczesny’s net; he packed his bags in Gdansk and did not watch another competitive match until 10 July. It might have been longer had his friend not started the European Championship final that night. “I was done with football for a few weeks,” he explains, somewhat conservatively given he switched off for 39 days before switching on to Portugal’s mind-numbing victory over France. Failures with club and country had cut deep but they seem far away now. “These are better days,” he says with the broadest of grins. Far from done.
If results dictate the 26-year‑old’s mood then it is no surprise the Liverpool midfielder was in engaging form in the buildup to Sunderland’s visit on Saturday. “What a nice guy,” texts the photographer having asked Wijnaldum to pose for a series of snaps after the interview and encountered a patient, amiable Premier League subject. Liverpool’s commanding form, league position and a meeting with Jürgen Klopp must take some of the credit. The Rotterdam-born midfielder chose Anfield over White Hart Lane in the summer, although strictly speaking there was no choice as Tottenham Hotspur did not meet Newcastle United’s £25m asking price, and has settled seamlessly into a team of increasing substance.
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