Did they dream of playing for the Dutch national team together in the past? ‘That sounds really nice, but we didn’t do that’, said Quinten Timber after the match against Bosnia at the NOS. ‘Of course you watch the matches of the Dutch national team. Now you’re there yourself, but it’s not necessarily that we talked about it together in the attic.’
That doesn’t change the fact that it was a beautiful moment in the Philips Stadium. Jurriën Timber replaced Nathan Aké halfway through the second half, Quinten Timber came on the field in the 83rd minute for Jerdy Schouten. After Willy and René van de Kerkhof and Frank and Ronald de Boer, for the third time in the history of the Dutch national team, twins were on the field at the same time.
Koeman on the Orange defense after conceding a goal
Not self-evident
‘That’s a family fairytale and a football fairytale’, Jurriën Timber thought. ‘You try to focus, but also to enjoy and that’s what we did. When you’re young, it feels far away. Of course you play at the highest level, but only 23 players are called up. Then it’s special and not self-evident that you’re there as twins. It kept getting closer, now it’s finally happened.’
Quinten Timber indicated that both brothers had a moment with the family afterwards. ‘A moment of realization. You know that you are on the field with your brother, but when I came on it was 3-2. The focus was necessary, but I also enjoyed it. I think that it only dawned on both of us later that we were here together for the first time. The family was emotional, that made us extra proud.’
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