As soon as the mud from the 2023/24 Premier League season settles, and heartwarming goodbyes are stated to legendary supervisor Jürgen Klopp, the eye for these of a pink persuasion will flip straight in direction of Euro 2024 in Germany.
For Liverpool’s Dutch duo Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo (not forgetting Ryan Gravenberch, though he’s unlikely to make the squad having gained only one senior cap because the begin of 2022), they are going to be hoping that they will encourage their nation to success.
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Robust group, however second place is ok
For Ronald Koeman’s aspect, a troublesome group stage awaits, with Netherlands because of do battle in opposition to a Robert Lewandowski-inspired Poland, Ralf Rangnick’s Austria and World Cup 2022 runners-up France. Nonetheless, as a result of approach the draw has been organised, ending second won’t be the worst end result for the Dutch.
The goal will after all be to high the pile, however as soon as the group stage is concluded, whoever finishes second in Group D would play the runner-up of Group E. There are lots of ifs and buts for positive, though that is most certainly to be certainly one of Slovakia, Romania or Ukraine, with Belgium prone to win Group E.
Regardless of this obvious incentive, Van Dijk, Gakpo and their teammates can be going all-out to high the group for an opportunity to face certainly one of Portugal, Georgia, Türkiye or Czechia within the Spherical of 16.
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Liverpool’s Dutch duo
Barring merciless misfortune on the damage entrance, two Liverpool gamers are all however sure to be included in Netherlands’ Euro 2024 squad.
Van Dijk is his nation’s captain and has been ever-present for the Oranje since September 2022, barring the second half of a facile 6-0 win over Gibraltar final November.
In the meantime, Gakpo netted three targets within the qualifiers for this match to go together with the three that he plundered at the newest World Cup 18 months in the past, together with claiming two assists within the 4-0 thrashing of Scotland in March.
Underdog position
There’s loads of expertise for Koeman to name upon for Euro 2024, however Netherlands will go into the match as relative underdogs. After poor performances at main tournaments within the final decade (they didn’t even qualify for Euro 2016 or the 2018 World Cup), different nations have overtaken the Dutch within the European powerhouse pecking order.
The Euro 2024 odds at the moment have Koeman’s aspect behind the likes of England, France, Germany and even neighbours Belgium within the record of favourites to carry the trophy. Nonetheless, the underdog position could possibly be one which the Oranje relish.
With much less strain, there is perhaps extra of the free-flowing soccer on show which gained them the European Championship in 1988, which was held in West Germany. Koeman was a part of that profitable aspect which included legendary gamers akin to Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard.
After current failures and non-appearances at main tournaments, Netherlands can be seeking to make Euro 2024 depend. There’s little expectation or backing from bookmakers, however with the match happening in neighbouring Germany, there’ll absolutely be a robust backing crossing the border to cheer on the boys in orange this summer time.
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