Top five players left out of Netherlands' FIFA World Cup 2026 final squad ft. De Ligt & Frimpong

The Oranje will face Japan in their opening fixture of the mega competition.

The Netherlands national football team are now going to gear up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, taking place in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The flagship tournament is all set to begin on June 11.

In the previous edition of the World Cup, the Oranje came out on top as one of the strongest teams. However, they were knocked out in the quarterfinal after battling hard against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

They are yet to win the mega competition. Led by Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands have now announced the final 26-man roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026. It will be once again interesting to see their performances as they are coming in with a well-balanced squad.

Stars like Virgil van Dijk, Memphis Depay, Denzel Dumfries and others are on the confirmed list. They will be taking on Algeria and Uzbekistan in friendlies before setting foot on the world stage. This will help them build up some strong tactics.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Full squad lists for all 48 teams

Top five players left out of the Netherlands squad

5. Matthijs de Ligt

The centre-back has played an important role for both his club and country. Due to an unfortunate injury, Matthijs de Ligt has been left out of the final squad to represent the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 26-year-old has 52 appearances for the Oranje.

Also read: Netherlands announce final squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 ft. Virgil van Dijk

4. Jeremie Frimpong

Despite making 35 appearances for Liverpool this season, Jeremie Frimpong will not represent the Netherlands national football team at the grandest stage of them all. The 25-year-old right-back has dealt with multiple injuries this season. Moreover, he is not in top form at the moment.

Denzel Dumfries has been selected as one of the options by Ronald Koeman.

3. Xavi Simons

After suffering from an ACL injury recently, Xavi Simons has not been given a chance to play for the Netherlands at the upcoming edition of FIFA’s flagship tournament. For the national team, the 23-year-old has made 34 appearances and scored six goals. The in-form Justin Kluivert and FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong are going to be better options.

Also read: Top five players left out of USA’s FIFA World Cup 2026 final squad ft. Tessmann & Luna

2. Sven Botman

The 26-year-old centre-back could have been a strong option for the defensive wall for the Netherlands. He has not been included in the final 26-man squad. Instead, Jan Paul van Hecke and Nathan Ake are going to play an important role now.

Sven Botman might have been left out due to his recurring injuries. Additionally, his performances for Newcastle United might not have been enough.

1. Kees Smit

The 20-year-old recently made his debut for the Netherlands national football team. However, he has now been left out and will not represent them at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He had a decent season for AZ Alkmaar, but it was not enough for him to make it to the final squad.

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