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Everything you need to know about Netherlands

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Netherlands Euro 2022 group stage fixtures

Read more about Sweden, Portugal and Switzerland by clicking on the team’s name.

How they qualified

Major tournament record

European Championship

Best European Championship performance: Champions- 2017.

Most-recent European Championship performance: Champions- 2017.

FIFA World Cup

Best World Cup performance: Runners-up- 2019.

Most-recent World performance: Runners-up- 2019.

Olympic Games

Best Olympic performance: Quarter-finals- 2021.

Most-recent Olympic performance: Quarter-finals- 2021.

Netherlands at Euro 2022: Will Holland retain their title?

Euro 2022: Everything you need to know about Netherlands

2J3JTP7 GRONINGEN – Sherida Spitse of the Netherlands celebrates her goal (9-0) during the Women’s World Cup Qualifying match between the Netherlands and Cyprus at the Euroborg Stadium on April 8, 2022 in Groningen, Netherlands. ANP COR LASKER

Few teams have enjoyed as much success as Netherlands in recent years, so will the Oranje rule European football once again?

Five years ago, on home soil, Holland claimed their first Euro title, winning all six matches, including a 4-2 victory against Denmark in the final.

Two summers later, they became only the fourth European nation to reach a World Cup Final, seeing off Japan, Italy and then Sweden.

However, Netherlands fell just short in that tournament, beaten 2-0 by the United States in Lyon.

Then, last summer, despite scoring a ridiculous 21 goals in the group stages, Holland disappointingly fell at the quarter-final stage of the Olympic Games.

Following a pulsating 2-2 draw in Yokohama, it was the USA who once again crushed Dutch hopes, this time in a penalty shootout.

All of this came under Sarina Wiegman, who’s now England’s Head Coach, and, since the enforced change of management, they haven’t quite been the same.

Oranje’s World Cup place isn’t yet secure; they’ll need to beat other contenders Iceland at home in September to qualify automatically.

Meanwhile, they’ve suffered defeats to France in February’s Tournoi and then, in last week’s pre-tournament friendly, were demolished 5-1 by England.

Nevertheless, when the European Championships do come around, Mark Parsons’ side will fancy their chances of going all the way.

Holland’s first match of the group stages will be their toughest, taking on Olympic Silver Medalists Sweden in Sheffield.

With Switzerland and Portugal rounding-out Group C, the Swedes and the Dutch are very much expected to reach the knockout stages.

Key players: Daniëlle van de Donk

2GN19M2 REYKJAVÍK, 21-09-2021 ,Laugardalsvöllur, Qualifying round – Group C, Netherlands – Iceland (women) , season 2021 / 2022, Netherlands player Daniëlle van de Donk during the match Netherlands – Iceland (women) (Photo by Pro Shots/Sipa USA)

In a team jam-packed with talent, Daniëlle van de Donk is the midfielder holding it all together.

She has 32 international goals to her name, although only one of these has come at a tournament, netting in the Euro 2017 semi against England.

Nevertheless, the 30 year old has upped her goalscoring game of late, bagging eight in qualification for this tournament and four in World Cup qualifying.

Van de Donk has started all 24 of Holland’s major tournament matches since her senior debut in 2010, highlighting her importance to this side.

At club level, during six seasons with Arsenal, she won all three domestic trophies, including the FAWSL title in 2019.

Last summer, she moved to Olympique Lyonnais, for whom she was directly involved in seven goals in 14 appearances.

During an injury-hit season, Van de Donk picked up a Division 1 winners medal and was an unused substitute for the Champions League Final success.

If van de Donk is fit and firing, she could hold the key to Netherlands’ success.

Key players: Lieke Martens

2GMATA7 Groningen, Netherlands. 17th Sep, 2021. GRONINGEN, 17-09-2021 ,MHC Mobility Stadium, Qualifying round – Group C, Netherlands – Czech Republic (women) , season 2021 / 2022, Netherlands player Lieke Martens during the match Netherlands – Czech Republic (women) (Photo by Pro Shots/Sipa USA)

In attack, Netherlands boast so much firepower, including 2017’s UEFA Player of the Year Lieke Martens.

For her country, the winger has scored a whopping 54 times, including in the Euro 2017 Final victory over Denmark, her third of that tournament.

Last simmer, Martens bagged braces against Zambia and China PR, meaning she’s now completed the set, scoring at all three major competitions.

At club level, after winning silverware with Standard Liège and Rosengård, she joined Barcelona in 2017.

For the Catalan giants, Martens scored 72 goals in just 157 appearances, capturing ten major honours.

The 29 year old has featured in three Champions League Finals for Barça, starting two, claiming the trophy against Chelsea in 2021.

This summer, she’s been part of a mass-exodus at Barça, signing a three-year contract at Paris Saint-Germain.

Before heading to the French capital, Martens will continue to be key to her country’s success.

Her pace in-behind stretches defences, creating space for a certain prolific centre-forward.

Key players: Vivianne Miedema

2GAD15C Tokyo, Japan. 30th July, 2021. YOKOHAMA, 30-07-2021, International Stadium Yokohama, Olympic Games, quarterfinal Olympic Women’s Football Tournament, Vivianne Miedema of Team Netherlands coaching during the match Netherlands – USA (Photo by Pro Shots/Sipa USA)

By the age of 23, Vivianne Miedema was already Netherlands’ record goal-scorer of all-time; only 18 women have scored more than her for any national team.

The 25 year old has already scored 92 times in orange, including four hat-tricks, scoring ten times in four Olympic matches last summer.

As recently as April, Miedema netted no less than six times in one game as Holland hammered Cyprus 12-0 in World Cup qualifying.

But, do not think she is a flat-track bully, with 17 of her goals having come at major tournaments.

This includes four during the last edition of the Euros, featuring the opener in the semi-final and then a brace in the final victory over Denmark.

At club level, Miedema won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich before joining current club Arsenal in 2017.

With the Gunners, she’s won the WSL title and a League Cup, scoring a ridiculous 113 goals in 132 appearances.

Just last month, the superstar striker signed a contract extension with Arsenal, making her the highest-paid female player in Britain.

At this tournament, if Holland harbour any aspirations of retaining their titles, Miedema’s goals are going to be a key reason behind any potential success.