Home ›› 21 Nov 2022 ›› Sport
After failing to qualify for the 2018 edition, Netherlands are back at it and they will start their campaign today against Senegal, who have been stunned by losing their biggest star Sadio Mane to injury.
Netherlands are back in the World Cup under the guidance of Louis Van Gaal, and the veteran head coach has a team full of quality players at his disposal. Virgil Van Dijk will lead the defence with Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake, Stefan de Vrij, and Daley Blind, while Frenkie De Jong will be in charge of marshalling the midfield, with help from Davy Klaassen and Steven Berghuis, along with the 19-year-old Xavi Simons.
In attack, they will hope that Memphis Depay finds his shooting boots despite not playing regularly for his club Barcelona due to several injuries this season. Steven Bergwijn and Cody Gakpo can provide them with width, while Luuk De Jong can prove to be a great option coming off the bench.
Senegal, the current African Champions, are without Mane, and thus will lose most of their attacking prowess but still have a formidable side. Kalidou Koulibaly will be a wall in the defence, and his club teammate Edouard Mendy will man their goal.
Ahead of the World Cup, Netherlands skipper Van Dijk was pretty confident in themselves.
“We have to believe in our qualities and ourselves and be confident,” he said. “We have a fantastic manager, an experienced manager. We have players who play at the highest level, the biggest clubs in the world.”
Netherlands remain the only team to have played three World Cup finals and not win the title, and they will be hoping to change that.
