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According to the head coach of the Dutch national team Dick Advocaat, Ruud van Nistelrooy will be the team's attacking leader in the first Euro 2004 match against Germany.
Van Nistelrooy, chosen as the central forward in a 4-3-3 formation, completes Patrick Kluivert's dominance in the Dutch national team attack.
"On Tuesday, van Nistelrooy will start the match," Advocaat said during a press conference. "I am convinced that van Nistelrooy is the best choice for the team. He has already proven in the past that he can score playing at the highest level. None of the four forwards during training or friendly matches surprised me. But I am convinced that Ruud is a true match player, not someone who just performs well in training."
Advocaat, on Wednesday, after a discussion with four senior team members, decided to switch from a 4-4-2 system. The Dutch, who failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, lost their last two friendly matches, not scoring a single goal this year.
