Even when they don’t appear strong, powerful, and robust, they are ready to fight against the greatest football ’beasts’. We saw less than two years ago in Qatar how the Netherlands, with almost the same strength that will go to the Euro, almost knocked out the eventual champion Argentina in the quarterfinals. In the end, the penalty shootout decided in favor of the Gauchos. So, no one can guarantee that they won’t upset the stronger teams in Germany. The Netherlands comes to the continental showcase as the seventh favorite to win it. The odds favor England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Italy ahead of Ronald Koeman’s team, while Belgium has the same chances for the trophy.Gooodmorninggg!!! 🤩📍 Oranje Fanzone.#NothingLikeOranje #POLNED pic.twitter.com/FxiGiwDUx4— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 16, 2024 Coach Koeman will have endless maneuvering space, making it extremely difficult to predict the standard starting 11 he will rely on in matches against Poland, France, and Austria, where they will be the underdogs only against Kylian Mbappe and company. It’s quite unclear who will play in midfield, whether he will throw Jeremie Frimpong, who did wonders with Leverkusen, into the fire from the start of the tournament, pushing Denzel Dumfries to the left wing. Or perhaps he will opt for a more defensive approach with Aké or Blind on the left flank. The national team’s top scorer, Memphis Depay, arrives at the Euro as a recovering player, and Wout Weghorst might be the first attacking option at least at the start, while Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo could form the duo behind the striker.Total football or total randomness: Dutch team replace injured playmaker with reliable full-backThe lack of a top-class striker could be compensated by nimble attackers who are not afraid to take on two defenders if necessary. Simons and Frimpong are exactly such players. Their energy, technique, and unpredictability could dismantle any defense in the tournament. One of the Netherlands’ advantages is that most of the players on the roster have been sharing the A team’s locker room for a long time and know each other well, so they lack no leaders on the field – almost in all lines of the team. Additionally, the respect the Netherlands enjoys in European football circles is significant. They have won the bronze medal four times at the European Championships and climbed to the top of the continent in 1988. This generation does not have a Van Basten to score a hat-trick against England, knock out Germany in the semi-finals, and deliver the most famous volley in the history of the European Championships in the fight for the trophy. But they have the tactical and playing unpredictability that can take them far.𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐣𝐤. ©️🦁15-06-2024, Hamburg.#NothingLikeOranje #CreateHistory https://t.co/dvKWuA83Ph pic.twitter.com/oBcWSInbLs— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 15, 2024 Since 2017, when Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben retired from international duty, no offensive player has held the status of the team’s main star. This practice will remain unchanged at the Euro, or rather, nothing has changed since the World Cup in Qatar. Once again, Virgil Van Dijk is not only the defensive pillar but also the cornerstone of the entire Dutch national team. One of the best defenders of today had an exceptionally productive season, after which he was shortlisted for the Premier League MVP as the only defender among the eight selected. If the Oranje’s defensive line dances to his rhythm, Koeman’s team won’t concede many goals.Great potential and even bigger doubts: Memphis Depay is a free agentUnder the motto “We won’t play boring football. Don’t expect anything boring from the Netherlands,” Ronald Koeman leads the national team to the European Championship. He conquered Europe as a player with the Netherlands in ’88, and now, in his second term at the helm of the Oranje, he will try to take them at least to the semi-finals. He succeeded Louis Van Gaal as the head of the national team in January last year and frequently switched formations from 4-3-3 to 4-3-2-1. Thus, he will be quite mysterious for scouting. Since returning to the coaching position, he has led the team in 12 matches and lost five.EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – GROUP STAGEFridayGermany – Scotland 5-1 (3-0)/Wirtz 10, Musiala 19, Havertz 45+1, Fullkrug 68, Can 90+3 – Rudiger 87 og/SaturdayHungary – Switzerland 1-3 (0-2)/Varga 66 – Duah 12, Aebischer 45, Embolo 90+3/Spain – Croatia 3-0 (3-0)/Morata 29, Ruiz 32, Carvajal 45+2/Italy – Albania 2-1 (2-1)/Bastoni 11, Barella 16 – Bajrami 1/Sunday 16.00: (5.70) Poland (3.80) Netherlands (1.63)19.00: (5.00) Slovenia (3.50) Denmark (1.75)22.00: (7.50) Serbia (4.40) England (1.50)***odds are subject to change***
