The Netherlands is perhaps the most interesting story of the 17th European Football Championship. The great national team, former continental champion (1988), two-time world vice-champion, made it to the semi-finals of the EP after a full 20 years.
The selection that is never written off, that must always be counted on, has not achieved a memorable result for a long time, at least at the European championships.
Three semi-finals after the historic title in 1988 - the first in 1992 in Sweden (defeat on penalties against Denmark), the second at home in 2000 (another penalty defeat, legendary, against Italy), the third in 2004 in Portugal (2:1 from the hosts).
And that was it. In 2008, "Oranje" was eliminated by Russia in the quarter-finals, in 2012 it did not even make it past the group, in 2016 it did not even participate in the European Championship, while in 2020 the Czech Republic got in the way in the round of XNUMX.
And then the way opened - where else but in Germany.
The Dutch have the best memories of this neighboring country when it comes to the national team and participation in major competitions. Right there, back then in West Germany, Johan Cruyff and co played the final of the World Cup in 1974, right there, in the Olympic Stadium in Munich in 1988, Van Basten, Gullit and team-mates won the only major title so far.
Thirty-six years later, a new opportunity has arrived in Germany. "Oranje" is in the semi-finals, the rival is England...
- We will play two more matches at the Euro, if everything goes as it should - is confident coach Ronald Koeman, who was part of the champion generation in 1988.
He knows how to win trophies, albeit as a player.
- Nobody expected this. But our mission is not over yet. If you play in the semi-finals, you want to go to the final.
There is euphoria in the Netherlands after the reversal against Turkey in the quarter-finals (2:1), so Koeman gladly answered the "unusual" question - who would he like in the eventual final?
- Spain. I prefer to play against the Spanish, because we have already played against France in the group stage.
Koeman then "tempered" expectations.
- First we have to beat England, of course.
Spain and France play tomorrow in Munich (21 p.m.), a day later (Wednesday) the Netherlands and England meet in Dortmund.
- We must be proud of our team. Sometimes we were criticized because our opponents supposedly play with more heart, and my boys really showed that they have the heart of a lion.
The Dutch beat Poland (2:1) in the opening match, they also left a good impression against the French (0:0), but after the defeat against Austria (3:2) they encountered barrages of criticism - both in their homeland and from the professional public outside her.
In the knockout phase, however, they again played on a level, they overcame Romania (3:0), against Turkey they showed character and mental strength (2:1, after a half-time deficit). All without the injured midfielders De Jong and Kopmejners, who before the start of the Euros were believed to have no replacements.
- We want to realize our dream and we are one step closer. I'm proud of these guys - said the captain, Virgil van Dijk.
- There is great faith that we can do something special at this Euro - added defender Miki van de Ven.
The Netherlands and England rarely meet in major competitions. For the last duel between them, you have to go back 28 years - in 1996, at the European Championship, Albion won 4:1 in the group, at the old Wembley. Before that, at the WC in Italy 1990, also in the group, it was 0:0. When the "Orange" were European champions in 1988, they also met in the group with the English, winning 3:1.
However, this is the semi-final - and the biggest match between Holland and England in history!
- We are close. This is a unique opportunity. We want to be champions of Europe - said forward Vut Veghorst.
3
times the Netherlands and England played in major competitions, all three times in the group. The balance is tied: 1-1-1. The Dutch won at the European Championship in 1988 (3:1), the English retaliated at the European Championship in 1996 (4:1), while in the meantime, in the only match at the WC, in 1990 in Italy, it was 0:0.
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