(Football news) For this year’s highly anticipated continental event, UEFA stated earlier this month that squad sizes have been increased from 23 to 26 players, and all squads must include at least three goalkeepers.
After registering seven wins and five losses in his 12 games across all competitions, Ronald Koeman is still making an effort to make an impression in the Netherlands dugout.
However, he starts the competition in a group that includes France, Austria, and Poland, and is tasked with ending the 36-year wait for another major title.
Here is Netherlands’ preliminary squad for Euro 2024, who has been selected and who are the unfortunate players to miss out.
Led by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, there are plenty of the usual suspects in the Netherlands squad, with as many as eight representatives from the Premier League.
Manchester City’s Nathan Ake is another headline name in the squad, while Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven has been included despite having earned just the two caps.
Despite enduring a mixed campaign with Liverpool, midfielder Ryan Gravenberch earns a spot in Koeman’s ranks, with domestic teammate Cody Gakpo being selected in attack.
Mark Flekken and Bart Verbruggen – of Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively – are two of four goalkeepers named, the others being Justin Biljow and Nick Olij.
Ian Maatsen is yet to earn a senior cap for the Netherlands, yet the left-sided Chelsea player is rewarded for his outstanding performances while on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
Other star names in the squad include Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, Paris Saint-Germain’s Xavi Simons and Atletico Madrid’s Memphis Depay.
Even though Koeman has taken the approach of naming four players over the allotted 26, there are still some notable names that have missed out.
Joshua Zirkzee has just helped fire Bologna to a surprise Champions League place, yet the 22-year-old forward does not feature in the attacking ranks.
Young Ajax defender Jorrel Hato also misses out, not helped by his team’s poor form during 2023-24, while no risks have been taken on Arsenal defender Jorrel Hato, who has not made a first-team appearance since August due to a serious knee injury.
Emerging Feyenoord midfielder Mats Wieffer is also left out, as is club teammate Calvin Stengs despite three goals from his eight Netherlands appearances.
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