NETHERLANDS
FIFA World Ranking: 16
Previous Best: Winners 1988
Last 5 Euros (Latest first): DNQ-Groups-QF-3rd-3rd
How Qualified: Runners Up Group C
Qualifying Record: P8 W6 D1 L1 F24 A7 GD17 Pts19
Tournament Odds: 14/1
Squad
Goalkeepers: Marco Bizot (AZ), Tim Krul (Norwich), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax)
Defenders: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Ajax), Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), Denzel Dumfries (PSV), Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace), Joël Veltman (Brighton), Owen Wijndal (AZ)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moskva), Jurriën Timber (Ajax), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool)
Forwards: Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Luuk de Jong (Sevilla), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Donyell Malen (PSV Eindhoven), Wout Weghorst (Wolfsburg)
Group Fixtures
June 13 vs Ukraine (8pm – Amsterdam)
June 17 vs Austria (8pm – Amsterdam)
June 21 vs North Macedonia (5pm – Amsterdam)
Special Offer
Sign up for a Betfair account during Euro 2020 and get up to £100 in FREE BETS! New accounts only. Click the image below for this fantastic offer! 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
New customer offer. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
History
The highlight for Holland or the Netherlands came in 1988 when that famous trio of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten conquered Europe when they beat the Soviet Union in the final. They have been third three times since then without getting to the big dance, unlike in the World Cup where they were beaten finalists back in 2010. Since that run though they have been in the doldrums a little and failed to qualify for the last European Championship and indeed the last World Cup. They will be looking to show themselves as a European powerhouse once again here.
Qualifying
The Netherlands were given the unenviable task of being put in a qualifying group with Germany so there was a sense that they were playing for second place from the outset, although with Northern Ireland not really up to the grade, that spot was the Dutch outfits to lose. Although they lost to Germany in the second game of the group, they went to Germany and won and never looked back from there with the highlights being emphatic wins over Estonia to the tune of 4-0 and 5-0. Giji Wijnaldum was the leading scorer in qualifying with eight goals.
Pandemic Effect
It remains to be seen whether the Netherlands would have been better off having this tournament last year when it was scheduled when Ronald Koeman was the coach rather than now when Frank de Boer is in charge. One thing they would have had last year is a fit Virgil van Dijk unlike now when he misses out completely. Donny Van de Beek sitting on his backside doing little at Manchester United isn’t going to be a help either and neither is Jasper Cillessen being ruled out of the competition through Covid. It is hard to think the Dutch wouldn’t have been better off 12 months ago.
Strengths
The strengths of the Dutch side is that the youngsters who impressed so heavily in their run to the UEFA Nations League final 2019 are now two years older and wiser as a result. The likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie De Jong are not only better now but have moved on from Ajax to a couple of the European powerhouses. They also have plenty of class in the centre of the park, in keeping with those successful Dutch outfits of the past. Memphis Depay arrives in good form as well.
Weaknesses
The Dutch were also considered bottle jobs in the bigger tournaments and it will be interesting to see if that tag remains even having failed to reach the last couple of events. The big question mark comes in the form of their manager who has plenty to prove that he is doing anything other than coaching off his reputation as a player rather than what he has done as a coach since leaving Ajax. No Van Dijk leaves a big hole in their defence regardless of the talent they have in that department.
Manager
Legendary Dutch player Frank de Boer took over from Ronald Koeman when the latter left to become manager of Barcelona last summer. He was extremely successful at Ajax, winning the Eredivisie on four occasions, but since leaving there his coaching career has been a complete mess. He lasted less than three months at Crystal Palace and Inter Milan and his spell in charge of Atlanta United did more damage to that club than good. His record with the Dutch has been acceptable rather than anything special. That record is P9 W4 D3 L2.
Key Players
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong is going to need to have a good tournament if the Dutch are to achieve anything over the course of the campaign. He, Gigi Wijnaldum and Davy Klaassen offer up a quality trio in the centre of the park and they will need to maintain possession and get the Dutch on the front foot to allow their forward three to do their thing. Memphis Depay is still the main man in attacking areas so he is another who’ll need to be at his best in this tournament.
Team Bets
Memphis Depay warmed up for this tournament with three goals in the two matches and he is on penalties but there is something about him that I just don’t like as the leader of this Dutch attack. I say leader of the attack he’ll occupy one of the wider spots in attack but in seniority he is the leader of it. I’m willing to take him on in their top team goalscorer market, not just because I have something I can’t put my finger on about him but also because I don’t think this will be a great Dutch campaign.
With that in mind I’ll take a punt on the former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum who seems to score a lot of goals for this Dutch side these days. In total he has 22 goals in 73 caps for his country but 14 of those have come in his last 22 competitive appearances. He was their top scorer in qualifying and in the Nations League at the beginning of last season. He is a threat at set-pieces, which they need without Virgil van Dijk and he has a bang on him from open play. I’m far from convinced the Netherlands will be free scoring in this tournament so if Wijnaldum can bag a couple he might just land an 8/1 punt here.
Tips
Back G.Wijnaldum Top Netherlands Goalscorer for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 with BetVictor
Back him here:
