Only spots from the Bundesliga are there
©IMAGO
Only one Bundesliga professional is in the Netherlands’ World Cup squad. Bond coach Ronald Koeman nominated his 26-man squad for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico on Wednesday and only appointed Mark Flekken from Bayer 04 Leverkusen from the Bundesliga as a substitute keeper. The team is led by captain Virgil van Dijk, who is one of three Liverpool professionals in the team.
Other players from Germany, such as Flekken’s teammate Ernest Poku, Stuttgart defender Ramon Hendriks and Hoffenheim’s Wouter Burger, were left out. A total of 15 professionals from the Orange team play in the Premier League; There are only two players from the domestic Eredivisie: Guus Til (PSV Eindhoven) and ex-Bundesliga striker Wout Weghorst (Ajax Amsterdam).
The biggest block is Liverpool FC: In addition to van Dijk, two of the three most valuable players in the squad, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, are also under contract with the Reds. Jeremie Frimpong, who was recently called up when he was fit, is surprisingly missing.
Due to injury, Koeman has to do without ex-Leipzig player Xavi Simons from Tottenham Hotspur, who will be out for a long time with a torn cruciate ligament, and ex-Bayern professional Matthijs de Ligt from Manchester United. Both are among the ten most valuable Dutchmen.
On the offensive, the Elftal counts, among others, on the former Dortmund player Donyell Malen, who is in top form after his winter move to AS Roma and recorded 18 scorers in 20 games. Other big names include Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké from Manchester City, former Wolfsburg player Micky van de Ven (Tottenham) and Frenkie de Jong from FC Barcelona.
