Kenneth Perez Questions Hype Around Ro-Zangelo Daal's Performance
Kenneth Perez is not buying the hype.
Ro-Zangelo Daal lit up AZ’s 5-2 win over Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday with two goals and a standout display, but where many see the birth of a new star, the ESPN analyst sees a familiar rush to exaggeration.
On Dit was het Weekend on ESPN, presenter Wouter Bouwman rolled out the praise after watching Daal’s highlights. “Things are moving quickly for him,” Bouwman remarked, hinting at a breakthrough moment.
Perez hit the brakes.
“Take it easy, man. I’m really going mad from all that nonsense about multi-talent, great talent,” he snapped. “He’s a young and decent player. Let’s wait and see what it all becomes.”
No “wonderkid” tag. No “future superstar.” Perez wanted none of it.
“All those superlatives about ordinary players... Calm down, please,” he added, making it clear he feels the language around young prospects has spun out of control.
The debate didn’t stop there. Bouwman pointed out that Daal is already on the radar of the Curaçao national team and floated the idea that the forward could still hold out for the Netherlands. Perez’s answer was short, but telling.
“Well…”
One word, loaded with doubt about whether Daal should be pushed into that conversation just yet.
Not everyone shares that caution.
Arie Haan, reporting for De Telegraaf, placed Daal straight into his Team of the Week. The former Ajax and Netherlands midfielder saw something far more special in the AZ winger’s performance.
“They kept trying to block off the outside. Then he just went inside. He played brilliantly,” Haan said, impressed by Daal’s solutions on the ball and his reading of the game. For Haan, this is not just a nice cameo; it’s a sign of something bigger.
“It’s good for Xavi that another winger is emerging who is developing so spectacularly,” he added, turning his gaze toward the national team and offering unsolicited but clear advice to Netherlands head coach Xavi.
That idea is already gaining traction. According to Algemeen Dagblad, Daal is on a “watchlist” drawn up by the Spain-based coach. He is not alone there. Fellow forwards Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink and Shaqueel van Persie are also reportedly being monitored.
So while Perez urges patience and perspective, others are already pencilling Daal into future Oranje discussions and building him into tactical plans.
The goals against Go Ahead Eagles have done more than light up a single afternoon in Alkmaar. They’ve dropped a 19-year-old winger right into the middle of a tug-of-war between restraint and excitement — and onto the desk of the man who picks the Netherlands’ next generation.
