Netherlands vs England Preview

The Netherlands and England will clash this Wednesday in the second semi-final of the 2024 European Championship.

After finishing third in the group stages, the Dutch national team have gone from strength to strength in the knockout phase of Euro 2024. The Oranje followed up their brilliant 3-0 win over Romania in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 comeback win over Turkey in Berlin on Saturday. Their reward for that brave performance is a place in a first major tournament semi-final in a decade – and first at the European Championships since 2004.

The iconic Dortmund Stadium is the destination for the first meeting between these sides at either the European Championships or  World Cup since 1996 and Ronald Koeman, who played in that game, and his boys Netherlands will certainly be hoping for a different outcome having been beaten 4-1 on that day.

Moreover, the Oranje have lost just one of the nine H2Hs since (W4, D4), a record Koeman will hope can take his side into a first European Championships final since they lifted the trophy back in 1988 – coincidentally the last finals to be held on German soil and a tournament which saw the Dutch triumph 3-1 over England.

Meanwhile, England overcame adversity for the second game in a row to qualify for this stage of the tournament. After needing a dying-minute equaliser and an extra-time goal from Harry Kane to overcome Slovenia in the Round of 16, England needed penalties to win against Switzerland last time out.

The win means the Three Lions are contesting in their third major tournament semi-final from four attempts under Gareth Southgate. Despite their record under Southgate, fans and pundits are still calling out the squad for their often lethargic display at this stage as England have won just once inside 90 minutes in five fixtures at these finals. That record indicates that another nerve-racking affair may be in store here.

Yet, there’s no doubt that England is tough to beat as the last time they lost a competitive match came back in the 2022 World Cup against France (W9, D4). That was also the last time they conceded multiple goals in a competitive match so there’s every chance that defensive solidity will guide the Three Lions to a second consecutive European Championships final, a feat made all the more impressive by the fact they failed to reach the final in any of their first nine attempts.