The Dutch national team will start qualifying for the European Championship in 2024 against France on Friday evening. National coach Ronald Koeman starts his second term as choice lord with quite a bit of bad luck. The sixty-year-old Zaandammer cannot have the initially called Frenkie de Jong, Steven Bergwijn, Bart Verbruggen, Sven Botman, Joey Veerman, Matthijs de Ligt and Cody Gakpo in Paris. The match in the Stade de France was already a tough task, but has now become a monster job due to the many absentees.
Under the crossbar, Jasper Cillessen seems to be Koeman’s first choice. Justin Bijlow (wrist injury) Andries Noppert (abdominal injury) are absent this international period, while Verbruggen was one of five players who had to leave the the Dutch training camp with a virus infection. Kjell Scherpen therefore reported to Paris on Thursday evening to take a seat on the bench as the third goalkeeper behind Mark Flek.
In the back, Lutsharel Geertruida is faced with a tough job. The Feyenoord player seems to be given the difficult task of taming Kylian Mbappé in the French capital during his international debut. Jurriën Timber and Virgil van Dijk form the central duo, while Nathan Aké can fill in the left back position. In midfield, Koeman hopes to keep control with Marten de Roon and Mats Wieffer. The latter would therefore also make his debut in the Dutch. The returned Georginio Wijnaldum seems to start the match as the front midfielder.
Up front, the options on the wings are meager for Koeman, who already indicated during the press conference that he sees more of a right winger than a midfielder in Steven Berghuis. The Ajax player will take place on the right wing next to Memphis Depay. Xavi Simons, who has only played one international match so far, seems to be starting from the left. In any case, Koeman will stick to his favorite 4-3-3 formation in Paris, as he said in the run-up to the game.
opponent France
Mbappé was named first captain for the French this week. The 24-year-old star player forms according to L’Equipe a vanguard with Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani. On goal, Mike Maignan takes over from Hugo Lloris, who retired as a record international at the beginning of January les Bleus announced. The match between France and the Netherlands starts on Friday evening at 8.45 pm and can be seen live on NPO 1. The game will be refereed by Italian referee Maurizio Mariani.
Probable line-up France: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Tchouámeni, Griezmann, Rabiot; Coman, Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Probable line-up in the Netherlands: Cillessen; Geertruida, Timber, Van Dijk, Ake; De Roon, Wijnaldum, Wieffer; Berghuis, Memphis, Simons.