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Sneijder: "Semis? We're going for gold!"
Wednesday, 9 June 2010

This past season Wesley Sneijder was one of the main attractions on the
European pitches. With Inter he won everything, but he's not finished yet.
"I've come here for gold," Sneijder says half a week before Holland's first
game of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

One of Holland's main players outs his ambition with a purpose. "First of
all I really believe in it. I don't think that it's appropriate to say that
the semifinals would be really nice. I believe we as a group should express
a desire to win this. We have to have that feel, all of us. And believe me,
we have."

He won the league, the Italian Cup and the Champions League this season with
Inter. He'll be 26 on Wednesday and doesn't deny that he feels a bit
invincible at the moment. "It started when we survived the group stages of
the Champions League with Inter. We all felt it couldn't go wrong anymore.
Our coach Jose Mourinho has played a role in that of course."

He's clear about his own feelings as well. "I'm bursting with confidence. In
a way I haven't experienced before. Perhaps a little bit two years ago,
during the European Championships. But the group has progressed since then.
More experience, more players with European top sides. I will not say it's
now or never, but it is the right moment for this group."

"We've been playing together for five or six years now. We have a perfect
mix of young and old players. That's how long we've been looking for this
perfect result. It has to happen now."

"Look at our practice games. We wacked the Hungarians in a way you rarely
see at international level. Through some stretches we played excellent
football. And I am not the only one who has had a good season. Many of the
other guys did very well as well. We have a lot of quality and physically
we've progressed from where we were two years ago.

Two years ago Holland played some great games at Euro 2008. Especially going
forward the level was great. "I think we can top that. We've grown. That
beautiful football is part of our style. You can compare it with Barcelona,
who are perhaps the only club at the highest level who always go forward.
But that's not a goal in itself. I didn't mind if we get an ugly final. As
long as we win."