Euro 2025: Netherlands team guide – a stellar squad with injury issues and a daunting task
As former European champions, having won this competition on home soil when managed by Sarina Wiegman in 2017, the Netherlands know what it takes to win. But this summer looks to be one of their toughest challenges yet on the big stage.
They have struggled of late, affected by injuries to key players, including top scorer Vivianne Miedema, and being drawn into the tournament's most difficult group alongside title holders England and Euro 2022 semi-finalists France makes for plenty of jeopardy.
Euro 2025 is a finale of sorts for Andries Jonker. The 62-year-old former Barcelona assistant manager's contract expires following this tournament and it was announced in January he would be leaving the role after three years, with Arjan Veurink — Wiegman's current assistant with England — succeeding him.
Advertisement
Jonker's legacy is complicated. After the Euro 2022 debacle that ended in a quarter-finals exit under Mark Parsons, he became a salvation figure, reinvigorating a team and a nation that once threatened to dominate the global game. That Jonker did so is unsurprising. His CV includes being on Louis van Gaal's coaching staff at Barca and Bayern Munich, roles at FC Volendam, MVV Maastricht, Willem II and Wolfsburg, as well as being director of the academy at Arsenal for three years.
However, some uninspired performances and constant rotations over the past year have led some fans to question whether his magic touch might be deserting him.
Jonker has been known to use various formations, switching from a 5-3-2 to a more familiar 4-3-3 depending on the opposition. Dominance in possession is still the ideal and, in both tactical setups, the defenders are asked to push high up the pitch in order to pressure the opposition quickly, particularly in the centre, to force turnovers.
The Netherlands are not short of candidates here, but a player growing in stature for Jonker's side is Wieke Kaptein. The 19-year-old Chelsea midfielder has had a breakthrough year with the serial Women's Super League champions and has consistently shown a work ethic, composure and intelligence beyond her years in the centre of the pitch.
Equally important is Wolfsburg forward Lineth Beerensteyn. The 28-year-old was the Netherlands' top scorer during the qualification campaign for Euro 2025 and her 17 league goals in 20 appearances this season will inspire confidence. And of course, no list would be accurate without including Miedema. The Manchester City striker is one of the global game's most ferocious and intelligent goalscorers.
All of this is to say: fitness is the biggest influential player for the Dutch. In their final round of Nations League matches a month ago, they were without first-choice goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, as well as attacking totems Beerensteyn and Miedema.
The Netherlands' quality on the ball is inarguable and young talents such as Kaptein and Barcelona's Esmee Brugts are complementing more established players such as Danielle van de Donk, Beerensteyn and Miedema well. Even these young players already have major tournament experience — a huge strength given their tough group. Getting to the knockout phase will take guile as much as craft, something the Dutch boast in abundance.
The Netherlands head into the European Championship without an established starting XI. That is not inherently bad and tactical flexibility, particularly during a major tournament, is usually a boon. But with recurring injuries to key players such as Jill Roord, Miedema and Victoria Pelova — and regular rotations in defence — chemistry has been hard to hone. Often, players look unsure of team-mates' positions and can consequently concede possession in dangerous situations.
They have not had good luck when it comes to fitness. Beerensteyn, Miedema and Van Domselaar were the most recent names on the injury list and the impact was clear as the Dutch were thumped 4-0 away to Germany in the Nations League at the end of May. Beerensteyn is said to be ready to return to competitive play ahead of the summer and Miedema left their training camp altogether before that international break finished due to fitness issues but returned to action and scored twice in a 2-1 friendly win over Finland on Thursday.
The Netherlands have quietly gone about their business since the start of 2024, losing five of their 18 matches. Yet performances have not always been convincing and results have begun to suffer. Draws with Finland and Italy were disappointing, but not as damaging as that heavy defeat in Germany, who finished top of their Nations League group. There was also a dull 1-1 draw with Scotland in their final Nations League game a few days later.
Ask a Netherlands supporter what the likelihood is of their team going far in Switzerland this summer and the answer is textbook: let's make it out of the group first.
True enough, Group D is not for the weak of heart: France and England, plus a Wales side making their major tournament debut. Conclusion? At least one big hitter is going home early.
The Dutch boast an elite squad and have nous in stepping up on the big stage (you don't win a European Championship and then reach the final of a World Cup two years later by fluke). Yet, recent performances have been shaky and without an established starting XI, they remain a bit of a mystery.
Get through the group, however, and this lot could go far.
The Netherlands announced in April that England women's assistant head coach Veurink will replace Jonker after Euro 2025. Veurink served as an assistant under Wiegman when she was in charge of the Dutch women's side from 2017 to 2021, winning Euro 2017 and reaching the 2019 World Cup final.
GO DEEPER
Arjan Veurink, England's 'tactical genius' who is Sarina Wiegman's right-hand man
The 38-year-old then followed Wiegman to England in 2021 and helped them win the Euros on home soil the following year. He is considered a 'tactical genius' by some in the English squad.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
🚨 England retain U21 EURO title with extra time win over Germany
England have defended their U21 EURO title with an extra-time triumph over Germany. Scorers: Elliott 5', Hutchinson 24', Rowe 92'; Weiper 45+1', Nebel 61' Harvey Elliott once again proved he is the man of the moment with a goal inside the opening five minutes in Bratislava. Advertisement Germany failed to clear their lines and the ball fell kindly to the Liverpool man in the box, who made no mistake from close range as he found the back of the net with his fifth goal of the tournament. Lee Carsley's side went from strength to strength as Omari Hutchinson drilled home England's second 20 minutes later, having been set up by Manchester City's James McAtee. On the brink of half-time, however, Germany gave themselves a lifeline courtesy of a bullet header from Nelson Weiper. Germany then completed a remarkable comeback just after the hour mark with an outstanding strike into the top right corner. Advertisement The remaining 30 minutes were end to end, with both sides desperately searching for a winner. Germany were inches away from clinching a last-gasp winner in added time as Nebel's effort took a deflection and rattled the crossbar before England were able to scramble it clear. In fact, it was England who regained the lead early in extra time as a dangerous ball in from Tyler Morton was headed in by substitute Jonathan Rowe, who scored with his second touch. Despite a nervy end to the game, England just about held on to make history and defend their European crown. 📸 Christian Bruna - 2025 Getty Images
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
England beat Germany in thriller to retain Under-21 Euros title
England retained their European U21 Championship title with a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Germany in the final in Bratislava, Slovakia. In front of watching senior team manager Thomas Tuchel, the holders squandered a 2-0 lead before substitute Jonathan Rowe — only introduced for the start of the additional 30 minutes — won it for England. Advertisement First-half goals from Harvey Elliott and Omari Hutchinson had put the 2023 champions into a commanding position but Germany, who beat them in the group stage, fought back. Nelson Weiper headed in just before half-time and Paul Nebel's deflected strike levelled the scores after 61 minutes. Nebel thought he had won it in the third of four added minutes at the end of normal time, but his effort hit the crossbar. England made the most of that let-off and Lee Carsley's decision to introduce Rowe proved an inspired one. England's triumph is a second success at this level for U21 head coach Carsley, who guided them to victory in the final against Spain two years ago. What a moment for Rowe. Sometimes two touches are all you need to make a difference. His first was to kick off extra time and his second was to put England back ahead just a minute later. Called upon to replace captain James McAtee, who was forced off with cramp after a top performance of his own, Rowe has been a shining example of the value and importance of being a team player. Having just finished his first season at Marseille after coming through Norwich City's academy, Rowe is a more natural winger than centre-forward. Even so, he started every group game as one of the two players Carsley used up front. He lost his starting spot to Jay Stansfield in the knockout games, but has still contributed heavily in the minutes he has been given off the bench. His off-ball running was key to England closing out their quarter-final win against Spain, and led to a late penalty that secured their 3-1 win that night. After his goal in the final, he continued to use his body well to give his team a solid platform. He may not have been England's star name, but in the end it was Rowe's application that won them the tournament. England have had to grow into these Euros. They won their opening game against the Czech Republic 3-1, but a goalless draw against Slovenia and a 2-1 loss to Germany meant they finished second in their group. That theme did not come as a surprise to Carsley, who spoke before the tournament about finding more fluidity over the course of the Euros. That came after a switch from that 4-2-2-2 shape, where no natural centre-forwards were used, to a more conventional 4-2-3-1 in the knockout stages. Advertisement England were much more balanced and built off the momentum swing early in their quarter-final against Spain to breathe life into their campaign. The confidence that came from both the performance and result against Spain carried into their semi-final victory over the Netherlands, a game they largely dominated. That was evident again in the final, particularly in the way they started and looked so comfortable for such a long period in the first half. They were then able to show the resilience and fight to deal with being pegged back and their squad depth helped them over the line and to the trophy. One of Carsley's key messages before and during the tournament has been about not comparing this group to the one of 2023, but replicating the achievements of former England U21 manager Dave Sexton. Sexton, who managed Chelsea and Manchester United in the 1960s and 1970s, led England to back-to-back U21 European Championship wins in 1982 and 1984. Sexton's England sides beat West Germany and Spain in their finals, and as chance would have it, Carsley has faced Spain and Germany in his two finals. Rather than wanting to replicate Sexton to enhance his own reputation, Carsley sees the significance in producing players for the England seniors who are accustomed to winning. During the group stages, a line of his that stood out was that 'there's a difference between hope and belief'. The more often England youth teams reach these finals and win, the more he feels that will instil a belief that they can do similar for the senior team. The watching Tuchel will surely have liked what he saw. Elliott is the player who has symbolised England's tournament, growing in confidence with each match. He scored their first goal in the opening game, but seemed to be a square peg in a round hole in the group stage. Used between the lines where he could run from deep, he took charge in the knockouts. Advertisement His opener in the final — his fifth goal of the tournament — showed composure that comes from confidence and rhythm being built with consistent games over the past month. It would have been easy to snatch at the chance, but after two excellent finishes in the semi-finals, there was no doubt he would pick the right corner to bury this chance too. Ipswich Town's Hutchinson was just as deserving of his goal against Germany — he has arguably been England's most consistent attacking threat in Slovakia. Even when Carsley was using a 4-2-2-2 shape during the group stage, he dovetailed well with Tino Livramento to make things happen on the left. A consistent theme has been his willingness to dribble, with Carsley often shouting 'take him on' when the winger receives the ball. No player at the tournament had attempted more dribbles than Hutchinson going into the final (24), but it was the simplicity of his first-touch finish through the German keeper's legs that proved so effective on Saturday. Three other players have stood out for different reasons. Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson was influential when England were still finding their way in the group stages. Playing deeper in midfield, he was a vocal presence, but also played a variety of penetrative passes to create openings for his team-mates. Carsley said he was playing 'like a senior pro' and it was hard to disagree. He showed a different side to his game in the final, covering space well. Bournemouth's Alex Scott has been key beside Anderson, too. The 21-year-old put his body on the line in Slovakia, often flying through the air to block shots on the edge of his own box, before a foul from Germany captain Eric Martel forced him off early in the final. He helped England become more intense as the tournament progressed and showed great skill in midfield to keep things ticking over. Having worn a brace over his fractured jaw in all the games, that will surely be a prized piece of memorabilia for England's representative from the Channel Islands. Advertisement Finally, Brighton & Hove Albion's James Beadle has been instrumental in goal. The 6ft 7in (201cm) shot-stopper was crucial in the group stages, particularly in the goalless draw against Slovenia, as his saves ensured England were in a position to progress to the knockouts.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mallorca star agrees terms with Nottingham Forest
A member of the defensive ranks at La Liga outfit RCD Mallorca has agreed to the terms of a contract with English side Nottingham Forest. That's according to El Chiringuito TV, who point towards Pablo Maffeo as the player in question. Advertisement Stopper Maffeo is for his part fresh off a campaign which saw him continue to play a leading role in the colours of Mallorca. All told, the 27-year-old racked up 28 La Liga starts, chipping in with a pair of assists along the way. And Maffeo's impressive form across these outings, evidently, did not go unnoticed in the Premier League. This comes amid confirmation on the part of the aforementioned El Chiringuito TV that the right-back is the subject of an approach from Nottingham Forest. Maffeo, it is understood, has already found an agreement on the terms of a long-term deal to take his talents to the City Ground. Advertisement Not only that, but Forest have tabled a €6 million offer for his signature. It now remains to be seen if as much proves sufficient to coax Mallorca into a sale. Conor Laird – GSFN
