Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has some tough decisions to make as he finalizes his squad for the upcoming European Championship. One of the biggest challenges he faces is the inclusion of injured players like Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and former captain Georginio Wijnaldum. De Jong, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury, has not played for his club in almost a month. Wijnaldum, on the other hand, recently made a return to the national team after a nine-month absence.
The Return of Key Players
Despite their injury concerns, Koeman has chosen to include lead forward Memphis Depay, who has been battling persistent injuries since the 2022 World Cup. The Liverpool trio of Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo also made the cut. Gravenberch, in particular, has not featured for the national team in over a year, adding an element of unpredictability to the squad.
However, not everyone made the preliminary squad. Winger Noa Lang, full-back Jurrien Timber, defensive midfielder Mats Wieffer, and striker Joshua Zirkzee were all left out. Koeman will have to trim the 30-man squad down to 26 players before announcing his final selection on May 29. This means that there is still a chance for some of the omitted players to make a late entry into the team.
The Netherlands will face tough competition in Group D at the Euros, with matches against Poland, France, and Austria. Before that, they have warm-up games against Canada and Iceland to fine-tune their preparations. The pressure will be on Koeman to select a squad that can navigate through a challenging group and make a mark at the tournament.
Ronald Koeman’s task of assembling the Netherlands squad for Euro 2024 is fraught with challenges. Injuries, player form, and tough competition all contribute to the complexity of his decision-making process. As the final squad announcement approaches, all eyes will be on Koeman and his selections as the Netherlands aim to make a strong showing at the European Championship.
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