The UEFA Nations League match between Hungary and the Netherlands kicked off with a friendly embrace between teammates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, who were opponents for the day.
But then just six minutes in, Gravenberch showcased his skills with a slick roulette past Szoboszlai, leaving the Hungarian captain shaking his head at what his club team-mate had just done.
The game at Budapest's Ferenc Puskas Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw on what was an eventful night for Liverpool players, with Roland Sallai netting for Hungary before Denzel Dumfries equalised for the Dutch from Reds star Cody Gakpo's set-piece. , ruling him out of Monday's clash against Germany.
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Van Dijk, Gakpo, and Gravenberch are key figures in Ronald Koeman's Dutch squad, with Gravenberch taking on a more senior role following his excellent start to the season for Liverpool.
The match marked his 15th cap for his country, having been a mainstay in the Dutch midfield during his breakout spell at Ajax under Erik Ten Hag.
Following his summer 2023 move to Liverpool and rejecting a call-up to the Dutch under-21s, he's had an impressive start to the 2024-25 season.
The Liverpool midfielder has broken back into the Dutch setup, starting each of his side's first seven league games and helping Liverpool secure 18 out of 21 possible points. Upon his return to the national team in September, manager Koeman shared some intriguing thoughts on the 23 year old's turnaround with Dutch outlet AD.
"We have always seen a lot of potential in Ryan," said Koeman. "Many people, including myself, believed that he could improve his concentration and overcome his laziness."
"It was too easy for him when he was younger. It seems – we are talking about two matches now – that he realises what is required in the midfield of Liverpool in the Premier League. That is the reality. If a player is given the trust or the chance, that can be the push in the right direction."
Responding to his national team manager, Gravenberch told De Telegraaf: "It's not nonsense; everyone has their own opinion. People say about me that I'm a bit nonchalant. That's just in me. Now I have that nonchalance too, but people don't really talk about it, because things are going well at Liverpool."
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