Seven years is a long, long wait. It’s been that many years since The Netherlands last played at a major soccer tournament, dating back to the orange-clad team’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2014.
On Sunday in Amsterdam, the Dutch will finally be back on the field to take on Ukraine at the European Championship. “We know that we missed two final tournaments, but now we’re finally here and so we want to show what we can do, not just for fun but really for the prizes,” said Memphis Depay, the striker who is the undisputed focal point of the Dutch attack at Euro 2020.
The team’s captain and defensive anchor, Virgil van Dijk, will have to wait even longer. He pulled out of the tournament to rehabilitate his surgically repaired knee. With Van Dijk sidelined, 21-year-old centre back Matthijs de Ligt will be a key defender for The Netherlands, but he is trying to recover from a groin injury in time for the match. “So far it’s going well,” the Juventus defender said. “I’ve been training well, together with the group.”
De Ligt is one of The Netherlands players who reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 with Ajax and then moved to a major club, like so many talented youngsters produced by the Dutch club’s youth academy. Frenkie de Jong was also in that Ajax team and subsequently moved to Barcelona, where he developed into one of the best players during a tough season under former Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman.
De Jong, The Netherlands’ key midfielder, said he’s feeling fresh despite the long club season. “If a lot of people say to you, ‘You’ve played a lot, you must be tired,’ it can get into your head,” de Jong said. “But for me it’s not an issue.”
De Jong’s role in the midfield will depend on the formation Netherlands coach Frank de Boer chooses. He looks to be favouring a 5-3-2 set-up over the traditional Dutch 4-3-3.
About 16,000 fans will be allowed to watch Sunday’s Group C match at the Johan Cruyff Arena. With coronavirus travel restrictions expected to keep most Ukrainian fans from travelling to The Netherlands, the vast majority will be Dutch.