Gravenberch is missing, Simons with him
Bonds coach Louis van Gaal announced the final squad for the Netherlands for the World Cup on Friday. With Munich’s newcomer Matthijs de Ligt and Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, two current Bundesliga professionals are traveling to Qatar with the “Elftal”. Unsurprisingly, captain Virgil van Dijk and Barça pros Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay form the core of the squad.
The appointment of the top scorer of the “Werkself” (five goals, one assist in 14 appearances), who has not yet played an international match for the senior national team, can be seen as a small surprise. The same applies to the non-nomination of goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, who was between the posts twice in the Nations League this year and was the number one in keeping the Dutchman’s goal at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Freiburg keeper Mark Flekken also had to bury his hopes of a place in the squad, instead Andries Noppert (Heerenveen), Remko Pasveer (Ajax) and Rotterdam’s Justin Bijlow are in the squad.
Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who switched from Ajax Amsterdam to FC Bayern in the summer and has since only played 167 minutes in the league for the Munich team, is not one of van Gaal’s first choice. In midfield, however, the 71-year-old relies on Eindhoven’s youngster and shooting star Xavi Simons, who has had 12 goals in 13 Eredivisie games to date and has recorded a whopping market value increase in the current Transfermarkt update, as well as ex-Bremen Davy Klaassen , Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ajax’ Kenneth Taylor and de Jong.
Market values Eredivisie
Gakpo climbs to the top – minus for GrillitschTo overview
On the offensive, van Gaal does not do without Antwerp’s Vincent Janssen, as previously speculated by numerous media, who had scored twice in the last three international matches and is one of the top scorers in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League – but he did without the former Leipzig player Brian Brobbey. There are ex-Wolfsburg Wout Weghorst (Besiktas), Ajax’ Steven Bergwijn, the newly crowned most valuable player in the Eredivisie Cody Gakpo, left winger Noa Lang from FC Brugge, ex-Gladbacher Luuk de Jong and Depay.
Goals & highlights from Eindhoven pro Cody Gakpo
In addition to van Dijk and de Ligt, Amsterdam’s Jurrien Timber, Manchester City’s Nathan Aké, Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij, Daley Blind (Ajax) and Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United) form the defence. Van Gaal’s side are unbeaten in 2022, only drawing against Germany in March and Poland in June. The Netherlands’ positive streak has lasted 15 games year-round. The coach of the title aspirant had already announced that he wanted to win the World Cup at the tournament for the first time: “We just have to extend our series. If this lasts until the end of the year, we’ll be world champions. (…) My personal goal is to become world champion.” In Group A, “Elftal” will face hosts Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador.
Here it is. Our World Cup team! #NothingLikeOranje | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/s4KMWBvJQU
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 11, 2022
The first betting match day kicks off with the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday, November 20 (5 p.m.). Click here for the TM betting round!
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