ANDRIES NOPPERT says he is proof that you should never give up on your dreams.
The 28-year-old journeyman goalkeeper, who has had an injury plagued career with less than 50 senior appearances, was a shock late call-up to Louis van Gaal’s Holland squad based on his performances for Heerenveen this season.
Not just a shock call up to the squad, but he actually made his international debut in the Oranje’s very first match out here in Qatar – a 2-0 victory over Senegal – and has kept his place.
Now, after Van Gaal’s side marched into the next phase of the tournament as Group A winners, he is continuing to pinch himself that this is all actually real.
Noppert said: "For me the dream, when you see my career, was already gone but it came true.
"I never thought about this happening. Its a big compliment to come in the squad and then to play at the highest level in the world. It was a surprise for sure.
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"But there is only one mister in Holland who can make this decision and that is this coach.
"I actually found out I was in the squad when I was watching the television and my name came up."
Noppert says the fact that all this was so unexpected, makes it all the more special.
He said: "Of course this is the dream – when you are a small guy, you dream about this.
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"So this makes it more special for me because, when you see my history, this is proof of what you can achieve when you keep on fighting.
"This is something that children have to believe in themselves, that everything is always possible."
Noppert has had a tough time battling back from injuries to keep any hopes he might have harboured of one day playing for the national team alive.
He said: "I got injuries and had to come back again and again, four times.
"You keep being told you can do it again if you think in your head you can.
"So I said ‘yes for sure why not’ and if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work, but I believed that it would work and look where I am now and for me this is the most special thing.
"My family are so happy and proud – I know they are always and they follow me always and everywhere so I am proud.
"They were at the game against Ecuador – that was not our best, but it doesn’t matter, we are first in the group."
That Ecuador draw was sandwiched between a 2-0 win over Senegal and victory by the same margin against Qatar on Tuesday.
Holland now face the USA in a last 16 knockout tie on Saturday.
Noppert’s initial nerves as he made his debut in that opening game have now subsided as he gets use to being Holland’s most unlikely No1.
He said: "I am not nervous. Only in the first game that we played against Senegal. That was a special moment and you come on the pitch and there was our anthem.
"That was really special because it’s the first time but after I’m not nervous."
Proof that you can become an unlikely hero was instilled in Noppert eight years ago when he was sat on his sofa at home watching Holland’s World Cup quarter-final in Brazil against Costa Rica.
With the game going to penalties, Van Gaal brought on Tim Krul in the 120th minute just for the spot kicks.
He saved two of the five as the Dutch progressed to the semi-finals.
Noppert said: "I was sat at home watching and I know a bit how the coach is and at that moment he had to do something and he did the right thing – he had to change something in the team and in the stadium and he did this.
"For a goalkeeper its an amazing feeling when you save the ball, so when you come in only for the penalties then it’s really special that you can save the team like this and he did in that moment and he did it great."
Now can Noppert go down in history as the man whose saves helped Holland to World Cup glory?
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He said: "For sure you dream. I came here with the dream to win the World Cup and in my opinion its possible.
"Go step by step, play every game like it’s a final, then win THE final."
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