26World
Cup

Group F · · FIFA #7 · 21/1

Netherlands flag

Netherlands

1948

A talented but injury-ravaged Netherlands — missing Timber, de Ligt, Simons and Schouten — lean on Van Dijk and a Liverpool-Barcelona spine as Koeman takes his first crack at a World Cup.

Coach Ronald Koeman (Dutch) · since January 2023 (second spell)

Matches

NetherlandsNetherlands flag1–0Japan flagJapan
Group F · Arlington · 15:00 CDT46 · 26 · 28
NetherlandsNetherlands flag2–0Sweden flagSweden
Group F · Houston · 12:00 CDT60 · 23 · 17
TunisiaTunisia flag0–2Netherlands flagNetherlands
Group F · Kansas City · 18:00 CDT12 · 20 · 67
NetherlandsNetherlands flag1–0Morocco flagMorocco
Round of 32 · Guadalupe · 19:00 CST50 · 27 · 24
CanadaCanada flag0–1Netherlands flagNetherlands
Round of 16 · Houston · 12:00 CDT25 · 27 · 48
FranceFrance flag1–0Netherlands flagNetherlands
Quarter-final · Foxborough · 16:00 EDT51 · 26 · 23

Key players

  • Virgil van DijkCB · Liverpool

    Captain and defensive rock, now shorn of his preferred partners

  • Frenkie de JongCM · Barcelona

    Midfield orchestrator the team is built around

  • Cody GakpoLW · Liverpool

    Main goal threat in the front line

  • Ryan GravenberchDM · Liverpool

    In career-best form anchoring midfield

  • Denzel DumfriesRWB · Inter Milan

    Relentless threat down the right

  • Tijjani ReijndersCM · Manchester City

    Box-to-box runner adding goals from midfield

  • Micky van de VenCB · Tottenham

    Recovery pace now vital with Timber and de Ligt out

  • Bart VerbruggenGK · Brighton

    Confirmed No.1

  • Memphis DepayFW · Corinthians

    All-time top scorer providing experience off the bench or from the start

  • Lutsharel GeertruidaDF · Sunderland

    Late call-up replacing the injured Timber

Injuries / doubts

  • Jurriën Timber (groin) - ruled out June 8, replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida
  • Xavi Simons (ACL tear, late April) - out of the World Cup
  • Matthijs de Ligt (back surgery) - out of the World Cup
  • Jerdy Schouten (severe cruciate ligament damage, April) - out of the World Cup

Recent form

2026-06-08Uzbekistan2-1 WFriendly
2026-06-03Algeria0-1 LFriendly
2026-03-31Ecuador (a)1-1 DFriendly
2026-03-27Norway (a)2-1 WFriendly
2025-11-17Lithuania (a)4-0 WWC Qualifier
2025-11-14Poland (a)1-1 DWC Qualifier

News

2026-06-09

Jurrien Timber ruled out of World Cup (groin), left camp; replaced by Lutsharel Geertruida

2026-06-08

Netherlands beat Uzbekistan 2-1 in final warm-up

Oranje bounce back to win their last match before facing Japan in the June 14 opener

2026-06-08

Timber ruled out of World Cup with groin injury

Arsenal defender not recovered sufficiently; Koeman says seven defenders 'is not enough' and calls up Geertruida

2026-06-03

Shock 1-0 friendly defeat to Algeria

Flat performance deepens concern over a defence ravaged by injuries

2026-05-25

Koeman finally gets his World Cup

In his second spell and after nearly seven combined years in charge, this is the 63-year-old's first World Cup as Oranje boss

2026-05-25

Injury crisis mounts before squad even gathers

Xavi Simons (ACL), de Ligt (back surgery) and Schouten (knee) all ruled out before Timber's withdrawal

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