The Netherlands enter the FIFA 2022 World Cup as an international enigma. They produce some of the top talent across the European club landscape but have fallen short at the international level for almost the last decade.
After a great showing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they finished third, beating hosts Brazil 3-0 in the third-place match, it was nothing but disappointment for the Oranje.
They failed to qualify for either Euro 2016 or the 2018 World Cup and were knocked out in the round of 16 at Euro 2020.
Louis van Gaal, manager for their 2014 World Cup run, returned to take charge last August after the disappointment of Euro 2020 and has this talented group ready for a course correction in Qatar.
The Dutch are considered the strongest side in Group A thanks to the presence of hosts Qatar, but they will have their hands full with Senegal and Ecuador, plus the hosts’ possible support for Qatar.
Still, this is a team absolutely bursting with Europe’s top club talent and if they manage to reach the knockout stages as expected, they will prove a dangerous presence. Anything short of reaching the quarter-finals is likely to be a disappointment for the Dutch.
Provisional Netherlands World Cup squad 2022
Manager Louis van Gaal had until Friday, October 21 to submit an official preliminary list of 35-55 players to FIFA, from which he will select his final 26-man roster for Qatar by Monday, November 14.
Here’s the 39-player list he named at a press conference. All players on this list will be available for selection for the final 26-man roster, and any injury replacements on that final roster prior to the tournament must come from this preliminary list. Anyone off this list may not participate in the tournament.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Remko Pasveer | Ajax (NED) | 38 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper | Jasper Cillessen | NEC Nijmegen (NED) | 33 | 63 |
| Goalkeeper | Mark Flekken | Freiburg (GER) | 29 | 4 |
| Goalkeeper | Andries Noppert | Heerenveen (NED) | 28 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Justin Bijlow | Feyenoord (NED) | 24 | 6 |
| Defender | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool (ENG) | 31 | 49 |
| Defender | Nathan Ake | Manchester City (ENG) | 27 | 29 |
| Defender | Mitchel Bakker | Bayer Leverkusen (NED) | 22 | 0 |
| Defender | Jeremie Frimpong | Bayer Leverkusen (NED) | 21 | 0 |
| Defender | Stefan de Vrij | Inter (ITA) | 30 | 59 |
| Defender | Daley Blind | Ajax (NED) | 32 | 94 |
| Defender | Pascal Struijk | Leeds United (ENG) | 23 | 0 |
| Defender | Mickey van de Ven | Wolfsburg (GER) | 21 | 0 |
| Defender | Matthijs de Ligt | Bayern Munich (GER) | 23 | 38 |
| Defender | Tyrell Malacia | Manchester United (ENG) | 23 | 6 |
| Defender | Jurrien Timber | Ajax (NED) | 21 | 10 |
| Defender | Devyne Rensch | Ajax (NED) | 19 | 1 |
| Defender | Denzel Dumfries | Inter (ITA) | 26 | 37 |
| Defender | Sven Botman | Newcastle (ENG) | 22 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona (SPA) | 25 | 45 |
| Midfielder | Davy Klaassen | Ajax (NED) | 29 | 35 |
| Midfielder | Xavi Simons | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 19 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Steven Berghuis | Ajax (NED) | 30 | 39 |
| Midfielder | Marten de Roon | Atalanta (ITA) | 31 | 30 |
| Midfielder | Ryan Gravenberch | Bayern Munich (GER) | 20 | 11 |
| Midfielder | Kenneth Taylor | Ajax (NED) | 20 | 2 |
| Midfielder | Teun Koopmeiners | Atalanta (ITA) | 24 | 9 |
| Midfielder | Jordy Clasie | AZ Alkmaar (NED) | 31 | 17 |
| Midfielder | Guus Til | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 24 | 5 |
| Forward | Memphis Depay | Barcelona (SPA) | 28 | 81 |
| Forward | Steven Bergwijn | Ajax (NED) | 25 | 24 |
| Forward | Brian Brobbey | Ajax (NED) | 20 | 0 |
| Forward | Cody Gakpo | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 23 | 9 |
| Forward | Wout Weghorst | Besiktas (TUR) | 30 | 15 |
| Forward | Vincent Janssen | Royal Antwerp (BEL) | 28 | 20 |
| Forward | Luuk de Jong | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 32 | 38 |
| Forward | Arnaut Danjuma | Villarreal (SPA) | 25 | 6 |
| Forward | Donyell Malen | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 23 | 19 |
| Forward | Noa Lang | Club Brugge (BEL) | 23 | 5 |
Final 26-man Netherlands World Cup roster
Cuts will be made across the board, as Louis van Gaal has a number of young players at his disposal, but he’ll look to find experience where possible, likely leaving some of those promising youngsters on the outside looking in this time around.
Below is a projected final 26-man squad, assuming all his players are fit and ready to go.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Remko Pasveer | Ajax (NED) | 38 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper | Jasper Cillessen | NEC Nijmegen (NED) | 33 | 63 |
| Goalkeeper | Mark Flekken | Freiburg (GER) | 29 | 4 |
| Defender | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool (ENG) | 31 | 49 |
| Defender | Nathan Ake | Man City (ENG) | 27 | 29 |
| Defender | Stefan de Vrij | Inter (ITA) | 30 | 59 |
| Defender | Daley Blind | Ajax (NED) | 32 | 94 |
| Defender | Matthijs de Ligt | Bayern Munich (GER) | 23 | 38 |
| Defender | Tyrell Malacia | Man United (ENG) | 23 | 6 |
| Defender | Jurrien Timber | Ajax (NED) | 21 | 10 |
| Defender | Denzel Dumfries | Inter (ITA) | 30 | 36 |
| Midfielder | Xavi Simons | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 19 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona (SPA) | 25 | 45 |
| Midfielder | Davy Klaassen | Ajax (NED) | 29 | 35 |
| Midfielder | Steven Berghuis | Ajax (NED) | 30 | 39 |
| Midfielder | Marten de Roon | Atalanta (ITA) | 31 | 30 |
| Midfielder | Ryan Gravenberch | Bayern Munich (GER) | 20 | 11 |
| Midfielder | Kenneth Taylor | Ajax (NED) | 20 | 2 |
| Midfielder | Teun Koopmeiners | Atalanta (ITA) | 24 | 9 |
| Midfielder | Jordy Clasie | AZ Alkmaar (NED) | 31 | 17 |
| Forward | Memphis Depay | Barcelona (SPA) | 28 | 81 |
| Forward | Steven Bergwijn | Ajax (NED) | 25 | 24 |
| Forward | Cody Gakpo | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 23 | 9 |
| Forward | Wout Weghorst | Besiktas (TUR) | 30 | 15 |
| Forward | Vincent Janssen | Royal Antwerp (BEL) | 28 | 20 |
| Forward | Donyell Malen | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 23 | 19 |
Netherlands World Cup group
The Oranje were drawn into Group A of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Only the top two teams in each group will advance.
The Netherlands are the highest-ranked team in Group A, thanks to the presence of hosts Qatar as the Pot 1 side.
The Dutch will open the tournament against Sadio Mane and Senegal before taking on Ecuador and Qatar, needing to watch out for the host boost which has proven a real danger over the years.
World Cup Group A fixtures and match schedule
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sun, Nov. 20 | Qatar vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | Senegal vs. Netherlands | 11 a.m. | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Qatar vs. Senegal | 8 a.m. | Al Thumama Stadium |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | Netherlands vs. Ecuador | 11 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l Stadium |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Netherlands vs. Qatar | 10 a.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Ecuador vs. Senegal | 10 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l Stadium |
