Netherlands

The Netherlands carry one of football's most prestigious World Cup legacies — three finals and a third-place finish across eleven appearances — and Ronald Koeman's current squad is built to add a new chapter. Virgil van Dijk marshals the defence with commanding authority, providing the organisational backbone that every tournament contender needs. In attack, Cody Gakpo has blossomed into a genuinely world-class forward after his breakout at the 2022 World Cup and subsequent move to Liverpool, while Memphis Depay and Xavi Simons offer contrasting but equally dangerous creative threats. The midfield engine of Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders combines elegant ball progression with tactical intelligence. What makes this Dutch side particularly dangerous is their tactical flexibility: Koeman has shown the ability to shift between a traditional 4-3-3 and a more pragmatic 3-4-1-2 depending on the opponent. After quarter-final exits in both 2022 and Euro 2024, the Oranje are hungry to go further — and their blend of experience, young talent and Dutch footballing DNA makes them one of the most complete squads in the tournament.