Netherlands predicted lineup for England clash in Euro 2024 semi-final

The Dutch will be looking forward to reaching the Euro final after a long wait of 36 years.

The Netherlands, who were placed in a tough group alongside the likes of France, Austria, and Poland, somehow managed to penetrate into the knockout stage. They displayed a dominating brand of football after thrashing Romania 3-0 in the round of 16 and overcoming Turkey in the quarter-finals to seal their semi-final berth against England in Dortmund on Wednesday.

They will face a formidable opponent in England, who are the favourites to win Euro 2024. Despite their lacklustre football in their previous few games, the Three Lions cannot be taken lightly as they have the experience and quality of players in their roster to propel them to their second consecutive final.

Let’s look at the possible Netherlands lineup which Ronald Koeman will likely choose for what could be the most important clash for the Oranje in nearly a decade.

Netherlands predicted lineup against England:

GK: Bart Verbruggen

The 21-year-old Dutch custodian, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League, will likely retain his position between the sticks. Bart Verbruggen has so far managed to register two clean sheets in the tournament with some important and crucial saves. Despite looking a bit hesitant at times due to inexperience in big games, he still retains the faith of his manager, Ronald Koeman.

RB: Denzel Dumfries

Dumfries’ inclusion in the starting eleven since the fixture against Romania has bolstered the Dutch defence. He will look forward to registering another clean sheet against England in the semi-final clash on Wednesday. His overlapping runs on the right wing also help the Dutch attackers initiate quick counter-attacks.

CB: Stefan de Vrij

The veteran Dutch defender from Inter Milan has not been as sharp in defence as his compatriot and captain, Virgil van Dijk. However, Stefan de Vrij, who has accumulated tons of experience playing over 200 matches for the Italian giants, has found the back of the net in the previous fixture against the Three Lions. He will play a crucial role in Wednesday’s clash against England, who have some of the most lethal attacking options in the entire competition.

CB: Virgil van Dijk

The Dutch captain and Anfield favourite is one of the best centre-backs in the world currently. Virgil van Dijk is a symbol of rock-solid, no-nonsense defending. He has made crucial interventions in the tournament so far to deny opposition strikers from finding the back of the net. He, who has played every single minute for the Oranje, has an impressive passing accuracy of 90.8% and has completed 22 clearances in the competition.

Also read: England predicted lineup for Netherlands clash in Euro 2024 semi-final

LB: Nathan Ake

The 29-year-old Manchester City defender will face familiar opponents on Wednesday when he dons the Oranje jersey against some of his club teammates. Nathan Ake has been instrumental in controlling the wings and has managed to cover almost 40 kilometres in just five matches, highlighting his laborious gameplay. Ake has made 12 clearances and three successful tackles in the competition so far.

CM: Tijjani Reijnders

Tijjani Reijnders, who has played all five matches for the Netherlands, has fared well and didn’t let his side feel the absence of Frenkie de Jong. Reijnders’s creativity in the middle of the pitch has immensely benefited the Dutch side as he made some impressive runs into the final third against Romania. He has a high passing accuracy of 93% and covers an average distance of 9.6 kilometres in every match.

CM: Jerdy Schouten

The PSV Eindhoven poster boy, who is playing his first major tournament for his country, has been impressive so far. He has made five clearances and successfully completed more than 240 passes with a high passing accuracy of 92%. Schouten will look forward to adding solidity to the defence and navigating the attacking options from the middle of the park.

RW: Steve Bergwijn

It will be interesting to see if Steve Bergwijn, after an unimpressive start against Turkey in the quarter-finals, gets the nod ahead of Donyell Malen and Wout Weghorst. However, Ronald Koeman might be reluctant to disturb his stable equilibrium by making unnecessary changes to the starting eleven. He will need to find his form back if he is named in the starting lineup, especially against a star-studded English side.

AM: Xavi Simons

The 21-year-old Leipzig midfielder seems to have regained his form after providing two assists in the round of 16 clash against Romania. Xavi Simons has a passing accuracy of 90.6% and has successfully completed 125 passes. He along with his other offensive counterparts cannot afford to take the English defence lightly, especially with the likes of John Stones and Kyle Walker closely anticipating their moves.

LW: Cody Gakpo

The 25-year-old Dutch wonder kid, Cody Gakpo, is one of the frontrunners to win the Golden Boot of Euro 2024 after netting three goals and providing one assist in five matches. Gakpo, who has registered 13 shots and created 11 chances, will be a lethal attacking force for Ronald Koeman’s side alongside Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst. He will look forward to getting the better of the English defence and taking his side into the finals of Euro 2024.

ST: Memphis Depay

Memphis Depay is a big-match player and, despite scoring only one goal in the tournament so far, his presence in the opposition’s box can be instrumental in the Netherlands finding the back of the net. Depay, who has previously stepped up to rescue his nation on big occasions, will look forward to leaving no stone unturned to propel the Dutch side into the finals, hoping to repeat the heroics of 1988.

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