Mediaboss Marketing

The Netherlands were runners-up at the 2019 Womens World Cup under Sarina Wiegman, the now-England manager who had guided her home nation to European Championship success on home soil two years earlier. Four years ago the Netherlands were, in truth, not entirely convincing in the group stage despite eventually winning all three games, and then squeezed through to the final with lots of late goals, including an extra-time winner against Sweden in the semi-final. They reached the second round in 2015, their first appearance at the World Cup.

GO DEEPER

A guide to Group E at the Women's World Cup: The start of USWNT's toughest challenge yet?

After dismissing Englishman Mark Parsons following a disappointing European Championship last summer, the Netherlands appointed Andries Jonker. Hes had an eclectic career, mainly in mens football, including stints as an assistant for Barcelona, coach of Bayern Munichs B team, a period in charge of Arsenals academy and a spell as Wolfsburg boss.

Jonker has used both 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, and there was also an experiment with 3-5-2 in a friendly defeat to Germany in April. This group of players is probably best suited to 4-2-3-1.

Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar was the unexpected star at last years Euros, having been capped only once before the tournament, replacing Sari van Veenendaal because of injury early on in the opener against Sweden and making several spectacular saves throughout the tournament.

Jill Roord is a good all-round midfielder, feisty but creative, and able to put her side in charge of matches, while Lieke Martens is a few years past her peak she was named the best player in the world by FIFA in 2017 but still capable of dribbling forward purposefully down their left flank.

GO DEEPER

Lieke Martens: My game in my words

Vivianne Miedema is arguably the worlds best striker, but an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury last December rules her out. She is surely the single biggest loss for any side in this tournament.

An excellent midfield. Roord and Danielle van de Donk have looked revitalised since leaving Arsenal two years ago, shining for Wolfsburg and Lyon respectively (Roord recently moved again, returning to England with Manchester City). Damaris Egurrola plays the holding role well and Jackie Groenen brings further technical quality but will probably be a substitute.

Inevitably, its: how do they cope without Miedema? Replacement Lineth Beerensteyn is a completely different type of player whereas Miedema doesnt mind operating as a No 10 and likes coming deep towards the ball, Beerensteyn is a converted winger who loves sprinting into the channels. The game plan is going to be entirely different.

They finished top of Group C with few problems, although surprisingly dropped points against an otherwise-average Czech Republic side. In March, the Netherlands thrashed Poland but lost narrowly to Germany.

Group E pits the Netherlands against the side who defeated them in the 2019 World Cup final, USWNT. That game, in the second round of matches, will surely decide the winners of this group. The Dutch start with Portugal, while the final group game against Vietnam should be very simple. If they finish runners-up to the Americans, they could face Sweden in the round of 16.

Two matches in Dunedin and one in Wellington, before a trip over to Australia for a probable first knockout game, and then back to New Zealand again if they reach the quarter-finals. Dunedin will be by far the coldest host city in the tournament, so constantly shifting between different climates may be an issue.

Goals from various sources. Miedema cannot be adequately replaced but Martens has 59 international goals, Van de Donk 34, and three others have more than 20. They are capable of stepping up.

Sherida Spitse is now on an incredible 215 caps but, having spent her career in midfield, is more likely to be used in defence at this tournament.

(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)

Read more:
Womens World Cup 2023: Netherlands team guide - The Athletic