Total football can lead us to glory, says Robin

Touch of class: midfielder Wesley Sneijder puts Holland 2-0 up against the Italians

13 April 2012

Robin van Persie believes Holland will prove Arsene Wenger right at Euro 2008 by showing you can win big trophies playing beautiful football.

The Dutch produced a stunning performance to beat world champions Italy in Group C last night and Van Persie has now set his sights high.

He endured a frustrating season at Arsenal, spending much of the campaign injured and then seeing the team's title and Champions League dream fade in the spring.

Manager Wenger received some criticism for sticking too rigidly to his beliefs as the season collapsed around him. But Van Persie, who returned from injury to make a substitute appearance in the triumph over Italy, is adamant his boss was right - and Holland can show why.

He said: "We want to show you can win a big title playing great football, it's what we believe in.

"I think we played some wonderful football against the world champions, especially as the second goal started right from our own goal-line. It was a fantastic quality goal, a fantastic counterattack and a good finish as well.

"It reminds me of the football we play at Arsenal, because we have an amazing counter-attack, too.

"Everyone knows what Arsene Wenger thinks about the way you should play football and it's the same with Holland.

"It's important to us. We are brought up on a certain way of football and we think we have a bigger chance to win if we play better football. If you play good football you create more chances and if you take those chances you win. It's logical for me."

Van Persie said there was a party atmosphere in the Dutch dressing room after goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and former Gunners midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst sealed an amazing victory in Berne, setting up a crucial game against France on Friday that could decide the group.

He said: "It's a funny feeling right now because at the start not a single one of us expected to be in front 2-0 at half-time against the world champions. Everyone was surprised.

"So we just said stay calm, stay focused and we might even score more goals. And we did - it was an amazing day.

"France is a tough game next and Romania will be the same after that. But now this is a chance for me to end the season on a big high. I have been injured quite a lot this year. So I'm desperate to win something, to play in a final and win it."

The only frustration for Van Persie is that he doesn't already have at least one new medal at home after Arsenal's topsy-turvy campaign.

He said: "We were unlucky because I think we deserved to win at least something for the way we played."

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