UEFA Euro 2024: Netherlands vs England Semifinal Preview
Semifinal Showdown: Netherlands and England Clash for a Spot in the Euro 2024 Final
Who: Netherlands vs England
What: Euro 2024 Semifinals
Where: BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany
When: 9pm (19:00 GMT) kickoff on Wednesday, July 10
How to Follow: Al Jazeera will provide live text commentary with build-up starting three hours before kick-off.
Both the Netherlands and England have had turbulent journeys to the semifinals of Euro 2024. Moments of brilliance could be the key to securing a place in the final.
England, aiming for a second consecutive Euro final, will need to find inspiration after a lackluster tournament. Their quarterfinal shootout win over Switzerland provided relief rather than redemption, and they must improve their attacking performance to advance to the final, where either France or Spain awaits. Gareth Southgate’s team has struggled, delivering unconvincing performances against supposedly weaker opponents.
“These are high-pressure national events with young players at the center of it all. Our team has been under immense pressure from the start and they’re doing exceptionally well,” Southgate commented. “We’re not scoring a lot of goals at the moment, but we’ve faced well-organized defenses.”
The Netherlands have also had a rocky path, nearly facing elimination before a comeback against Turkey in the quarterfinals. Despite falling behind in three of their four scoring games, the Dutch have shown resilience, winning three matches in regulation time compared to England’s one.
The Netherlands have a slight edge in attack, scoring nine goals from 20 attempts on target, whereas England has managed only 15 attempts. The Dutch will rely on joint top scorer Cody Gakpo to challenge an England defense that has been solid despite their lackluster attack.
While England was among the pre-tournament favorites, the Netherlands’ performance has been unexpected, marking their first semifinal appearance in 20 years. They aim for their first final since their 1988 Euros triumph.
Dutch coach Ronald Koeman defended his team’s commitment, saying, “We need to fight to win the semifinal. It will be a great night between two historically significant teams. England has good players, but so do we.”
Historically, the Netherlands have had more success against England, winning their last meeting 3-1 in extra time during the 2019 UEFA Nations League semifinal. England has won only one of their last nine matches against the Netherlands, with their most famous victory being a 4-1 win at Euro 96.
Premier League Influence
Both squads feature significant Premier League representation, which could ensure an exciting match. The majority of England’s squad are home-based, while the Dutch team includes seven Premier League players.
Dutch defender Micky van de Ven, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, said, “With the quality of players on both teams, the level and rhythm of the game will be high. Hopefully, we will control the ball more, making England do the running, but it will be a high-intensity game.”
FIFA Rankings:
Netherlands: 7
England: 5
Head-to-Head Record:
22 games:
- 7 wins for the Netherlands
- 6 wins for England
- 9 draws
Last Five Matches:
Netherlands: W-W-L-D-W
England: D-W-D-D-W
Possible Line-Ups:
Netherlands:
Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake; Schouten, Simons, Reijnders; Malen, Depay, Gakpo
England:
Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi; Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw; Bellingham, Foden; Kane
