Netherlands: A closer look at England's Euro 2024 semi-final opposition
07/08/2024 12:00 PM
Everything you need to know about the Netherlands national football team, including their history, manager, and more.
England are preparing for a historic clash against the Netherlands in the semi-finals of Euro 2024, with a win guaranteeing them a place in Sunday’s final.
Despite reaching the semi-final stage of the tournament, Gareth Southgate’s side has arguably failed to wow fans so far, with disappointing displays against the likes of Slovenia and Slovakia, leaving much to be desired.
The Three Lions however now find themselves two games from glory after booking their semi-final slot after a dramatic win against Switzerland on penalties.
The Netherlands now await England, with both nations set to fight it out in Dortmund on Wednesday evening.
So with that said, here's a look at everything you need to know about the Netherlands national football team.
Who are the Netherlands national team?
The Netherlands national team are the football side that represents the nation of Netherlands in men's international competitions
What is the population of the Netherlands?
Despite being quite a small country geographically, the Netherlands has a population of 17.6 million.
Netherlands National Team founding year
The Dutch national team was first founded in 1905. Since then they have appeared in eleven World Cups and eleven European Championships, winning the Euros in 1988.
Netherlands home football stadium
The Dutch national team play their games at the Johan Cruyff Arena, which is also the home of European giants Ajax.
Netherlands kit history
Nicknamed ‘Oranje’, the Dutch national team has always played in orange-coloured kits. The orange design has been a key feature of the nation’s footballing identity since the early 20th century.
Netherlands current manager
Ronald Koeman is currently the manager of the Netherlands national team, having taken over the role from Louis van Gaal in January 2023.
A familiar face to English fans having managed both Everton and Southampton during his managerial career, Koeman is currently undergoing his second stint as Netherlands boss, having previously managed them between 2018 and 2020.
Koeman would leave his role as Dutch boss to take up the managerial role at FC Barcelona, his time at the Nou Camp though would be short-lived.
Finishing third in his first season in charge, Koeman would eventually be sacked just a year into the job, with Barcelona languishing ninth in the table.
Following the retirement of Van Gaal, Koeman returned to his position as Netherlands boss after the Qatar World Cup.
Netherlands Euro 2024 squad
| Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
| Bart Verbruggen (Brighton) | Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) | Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) | Steven Bergwijn (Ajax) |
| Mark Flekken (Brentford) | Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan) | Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan) | Memphis Depay (Atletico Madrid) |
| Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord) | Mickey van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur) | Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig) | Brian Brobbey (Ajax) |
| Daley Blind (Girona) | Joey Veerman (PSV) | Wout Weghorst (Hoffenheim) | |
| Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich) | Jerdy Schouten (PSV) | Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) | |
| Nathan Ake (Manchester City) | Gini Wijnaldum (Al-Ettifaq) | Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) | |
| Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) | Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna) | ||
| Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord) | |||
| Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) | |||
| Ian Maatsen (Borussia Dortmund) |
Who is the Netherlands captain?
Virgil van Dijk is the current Netherlands captain, having inherited the armband from former Bayern Munich and Chelsea star, Arjen Robben.
The Liverpool star has been a leading figure in the Dutch backline for some years now, striking up a strong partnership with Stefan de Vrij.
This is Van Dijk’s first ever Euros having missed Euro 2020 through injury.
