Dutch coach Ronald Koeman decided this Saturday not to include Joshua Zirkzee and Justin Kluivert in the Oranje squad for tonight’s Group 3 Nations League A match (8:45 p.m.) in Amsterdam.
Koeman had already warned during the press conference on Friday that he would have to oust two, as only 23 players are allowed on the team sheet.
He did not yet want to specify which ones, but we now know that they are Zirkzee and Kluivert, whose names are not on the list sent to UEFA for this match.
He hasn’t played in six years
Kluivert – the son of…! – played his last international match six years ago against Peru (2-1).
He then replaced Ruud Vormer (Club Bruges) in the 85th minute.
Zirkzee started the first leg in Hungary (1-1), and entered the game in the 75th minute in Germany (1-0).
Koeman this time preferred attackers Donyell Malen, Cody Gakpo, ex-Brugeois Club Noa Lang, Brian Brobbey and Wout Weghorst.
The Dutch team faces Hungary at the Johan Cruijff Arena.
Both teams have five points and Germany ten.
Eliminated in case of defeat
A victory in Hungary will be enough for the Netherlands to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
They would in fact then be three points ahead of their opponent after last month’s split (1-1), and the last match against Bosnia-Herzegovina would no longer matter.
In the event of a draw, however, they will have to at least obtain the same result next Tuesday in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as the Hungarians in Germany, thanks to their better goal difference.
In case of defeat, the Netherlands will be eliminated.
Reaching the knockout stage of the Nations League will earn the qualifiers top seed in the World Cup qualifying draw on December 13 in Zurich.
This is not trivial, as only the 12 group winners qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with the remaining four tickets being awarded in the play-offs.
The 23 Dutch selections
Guardians: Mark Fleken (Brentford), Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton)
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Jorrel Hato (Ajax), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United), Stefan de Vrij (Inter) , Devyne Rensch (Ajax), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelone), Teun Koopmeiners, Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Quinten Timber (Feyenoord), Mats Wieffer (Brighton)
Attackers: Brian Brobbey (Ajax), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (PSV), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Wout Weghorst (Ajax).
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