The Netherlands have been quietly building one of the most underrated squads at this tournament. Under Ronald Koeman, they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup. Their squad, anchored by Virgil van Dijk’s commanding presence and supercharged by the creativity of Xavi Simons and the directness of Cody Gakpo is more complete than their pre-tournament odds suggest. Oranje are the orange wave that every opponent in the draw will be hoping to avoid.
Here is the Netherlands’ strongest possible starting eleven, the lineup Koeman is most likely to field in the knockout rounds.
Formation: 4-3-3
Right wing is still up for grabs, with Xavi Simons, Jeremie Frimpong, and Donyell Malen all in contention, though Malen’s form gives him the edge. Cody Gakpo looks set to start on the left, while all-time top scorer Memphis Depay is expected to lead the line. Koeman’s preferred system gives Van Dijk the defensive anchor he needs while providing the three attacking positions with enough freedom to combine and interchange depending on what the game demands.
Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen
Club: Brighton
The young goalkeeper who has taken over from an aging generation of Dutch keepers. Verbruggen’s shot-stopping reflexes are exceptional and his composure in one-on-one situations, where his decision-making is notably better than his predecessors makes him a reliable presence for a team that presses high and can be exposed on the counter. His youth brings both freshness and the occasional moment of inexperience, but Koeman has committed to him as the first choice.
Right-Back: Jeremie Frimpong
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
The explosive right-back who brings pace, directness, and one-on-one ability from the right side. Frimpong’s overlapping runs and his clinical delivery from wide positions make him one of the most dangerous attacking full-backs at the tournament. He is one of only a handful of full-backs in world football who can genuinely beat defenders in one-on-one situations, and his combination with Malen or Simons on the right gives the Netherlands a constant threat down that flank.
Right Centre-Back: Virgil van Dijk
Club: Liverpool
The captain and the cornerstone of everything the Netherlands do defensively. At 34, this is Van Dijk’s final World Cup and he is playing with the authority and motivation of a man who knows the clock is ticking. Virgil van Dijk remains the cornerstone of the Netherlands’ defence, providing defensive stability and leadership. His experience, positioning, and understanding of the game continue to make him invaluable. He organises, commands, and leads from the back with an authority that no other Dutch defender can replicate.
Left Centre-Back: Micky van de Ven
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
The pace that compensates for any high defensive line vulnerability. Van de Ven is one of the fastest centre-backs in world football and his recovery speed in transition allows the Netherlands to press high without the same level of danger that teams with slower defenders face. His ball-playing quality, comfortable bringing the ball out from the back also suits Koeman’s possession-based system perfectly. He and Van Dijk form the ideal combination of experience and athleticism.
Left-Back: Jurrien Timber
Club: Arsenal
One of the most versatile defenders in the tournament, equally comfortable at centre-back, right-back, or left-back. Timber’s technical excellence, his aggressive pressing from left-back, and his combination with Gakpo on the left side of Netherlands’ attack give Koeman a dynamic and intelligent player who rarely makes individual errors. His Premier League experience under Mikel Arteta has refined his positioning and decision-making significantly.
Defensive Midfielder: Ryan Gravenberch
Club: Liverpool
One of the most impressive midfielders in the Premier League this season. Gravenberch’s combination of physical presence, technical quality, and intelligent positioning makes him the ideal single pivot in the Netherlands’ system. He provides Van Dijk with a midfield shield, enables the more creative players around him to press forward, and arrives into the penalty area with enough regularity to pose a genuine goal threat. His form at Liverpool, where he has become one of their most reliable performers gives him the confidence to perform at World Cup level.
Central Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong
Club: Barcelona
The creative midfield talent who gives the Netherlands their technical identity in possession. De Jong’s ability to receive the ball under pressure and immediately find a forward option, his progressive carrying through midfield, and his range of passing make him one of the most complete central midfielders in the tournament. A hamstring injury at the end of the club season, reportedly keeping him out for up to six weeks is the primary concern. If he is fit, he starts. If he is not, the Netherlands lose a significant portion of their creative quality.
Attacking Midfielder: Xavi Simons
Club: PSG / Leipzig
The most technically gifted player in the Netherlands squad and the one most likely to produce the individual moment of brilliance that changes a knockout game. Simons operates as the advanced third midfielder, free to find spaces between the opposition’s defensive lines, receive the ball in tight situations, and create chances through combination play or his own direct running. His Champions League experience and his excellent qualifying campaign for the Netherlands make him one of the tournament’s most exciting players to watch.
Right Winger: Donyell Malen
Club: Borussia Dortmund
The electric right winger who provides the pace and directness that Frimpong’s overlapping runs complement perfectly. Malen’s ability to run behind defences, receive balls in behind, and finish clinically in one-on-one situations makes him the Netherlands’ most consistent wide goal scorer. His Champions League final appearance with Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid in 2024 showed that the biggest stages do not intimidate him.
Striker: Memphis Depay
Club: Atletico Madrid
The Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer and the experienced attacking focal point that Koeman trusts in the most important games. Depay’s tournament experience, his clinical finishing in the penalty area, and his ability to hold up play and involve the midfielders around him make him the ideal striker for the Netherlands’ system. At 31, this is almost certainly his final World Cup and he will be desperate to score the goals that send the Netherlands deep into the tournament for the first time since they reached the final in 2010.
Left Winger: Cody Gakpo
Club: Liverpool
The left-sided wide forward who has become one of the Netherlands’ most important attacking players. Gakpo’s pace in behind, his ability to cut inside onto his right foot, and his improved consistency as a goal scorer make him the most dangerous wide option in Koeman’s squad. He scored three goals in the 2022 World Cup group stage, the joint-highest of any player at that tournament and will want to build on that record at his second tournament.
Key Tactical Points
The Netherlands’ strength in this system is their balance. Van Dijk and Van de Ven give them one of the best defensive combinations at the tournament. Gravenberch protects them from midfield. And up front, the three-pronged attack of Malen, Depay, and Gakpo gives them multiple routes to goal.
The risk is De Jong’s fitness. If he misses any part of the tournament, the Netherlands lose their most important ball-carrier and their creative quality drops significantly. Koeman has alternatives, but none of them produce the same level of performance in the big games.
The Netherlands are frequently underrated heading into tournaments. They reached the Euro 2024 semi-finals. They beat both Argentina and the USA in the 2022 World Cup knockouts. The orange wave has a habit of going further than anyone expects.
The bottom line: The Netherlands’ strongest XI is a genuinely dangerous lineup with world-class quality in defence, midfield, and attack. Van Dijk’s final tournament, Gakpo’s explosive pace, and the creative brilliance of Simons and De Jong give them everything they need to reach the quarter-finals and beyond.
Sources: ESPN, Squawka, GiveMeSport
