Louis van Gaal announced the pre-selection of the Dutch national team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers on Friday afternoon. The new national coach of the Dutch national team lets Tyrell Malacia make his debut and also calls on Feyenoord teammate Guus Til. Van Gaal and his technical staff will be presented to the media by the KNVB next Tuesday in Zeist.
Matthijs de Ligt is not available in the World Cup qualifier against Norway. The defender received a red card in the eighth finals against the Czech Republic at the European Championship and must therefore serve a suspension. The defender of Juventus is available in the international matches against Montenegro and Turkey.
Virgil van Dijk makes his comeback in the Dutch national team. The defender will most likely make his official return to Liverpool against Norwich City on Saturday, after suffering a serious knee injury in the Merseyside derby against Everton on October 17 last year and not only having to miss the remainder of the season but also the European Championship. let go. Three days earlier, he played his last international match for the the Dutch: the 1-1 draw against Italy in the Nations League.
The road that the Dutch national team has to take
On September 1, the the Dutch squad will play in and against Norway in the World Cup qualifiers. This is followed by duels with Montenegro (September 4) and Turkey (September 7). At the moment, the the Dutch squad occupies second place in Group G with six points from three games and Turkey is in the lead with seven points. Montenegro and Norway are also on six points, but are lower than the Netherlands due to a less goal difference. Only the number one in the group qualifies directly for the World Cup in Qatar. The numbers two from the ten different groups and the two best group winners from the 2020/21 Nations League who fall outside the top two of their World Cup qualifying group will participate in the play-offs.
The total of twelve countries will be divided into three play-off paths, each containing two semi-finals over one match and one final. The home teams in the play-offs are determined by drawing lots, with the six best numbers two placed and therefore unable to meet. The winner of each path qualifies for the 2022 World Cup.
The pre-selection of the Dutch national team Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Donny van de Beek (Manchester United), Steven Berghuis (Ajax) Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Daley Blind (Ajax), Memphis Depay (Barcelona), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Joël Drommel (PSV) ), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ), Tim Krul (Norwich City), Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus), Tyrell Malacia ( Feyenoord), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Remco Pasveer (Ajax), Devyne Rensch (Ajax), Marten de Roon (Atalanta Bergamo), Guus Til (Feyenoord), Jurriën Timber (Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Inter), Wout Weghorst (VfL Wolfsburg) and Georginio Wijnaldum (Paris Saint Germain).