Netherlands fans have voiced strong criticism of head coach Xavi Hernández's 25-man squad selection for the upcoming Nations League matches. The omission of left-back Owen Wijndal was a particular point of contention, alongside the absence of players like Ryan Gravenberch and Kenneth Taylor. The squad assembles as the team enjoys an unbeaten run of four matches, comprising two wins and two draws.
The squad will gather in Zeist on Monday to prepare for the decisive group games against Greece and Germany. The Netherlands leads Group 2 of Nations League A with eight points from four matches, level on points with Greece. Germany sits third with five points. The first match is at home against Greece at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Friday, 13 November, followed by an away fixture in Berlin against Germany on Monday, 16 November. Both kick off at 20:45. The home fixture against Greece on 13 November is a direct rematch following the 2-2 draw in the away game on 1 October, which featured goals from Virgil van Dijk and Tijjani Reijnders.
Besides Wijndal, Gravenberch, and Taylor, the squad also does not include Joshua Zirkzee, Jeremie Frimpong, Jorrel Hato, Wout Weghorst, and Memphis Depay. Zirkzee's omission is especially notable as he scored the winning goal in the last match, the 2-1 victory over Serbia on 4 October, in which Teun Koopmeiners also found the net. Gjivai Zechiël is once again the only Feyenoord player called up, while Luciano Valente and Givairo Read were not selected.
The criticism comes at a key time. The Netherlands is unbeaten in its last four matches, with two wins and two draws. The most recent result was a 2-1 victory over Serbia on 4 October, with goals from Teun Koopmeiners and Joshua Zirkzee. Before that, they drew 2-2 with Greece, with Virgil van Dijk and Tijjani Reijnders on the scoresheet. The upcoming match against Greece is therefore a direct rematch and a key fixture in the battle for top spot in the group. The full standings and fixtures schedule are available.
The selected squad must now maintain this positive form to win the group and secure a place in the next phase of the competition. Preparations begin on Monday, 9 November.
Further reading: VoetbalPrimeur
