Preview: Netherlands vs. Iceland – prediction, team news, lineups

Netherlands will conclude their preparations for Euro 2024 with a friendly against Iceland in Rotterdam on Monday night.

Ronald Koeman‘s side will enter the contest off the back of a 4-0 success over Canada on Thursday, while Iceland also recorded a standout win last time out, beating England 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Friday.

Match preview

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Netherlands famously missed out on qualification for Euro 2016, but they were present at the 2020 edition of the tournament, reaching the round of 16, before making the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Not too many are mentioning Holland as potential challengers for the Euro 2024 crown, but they know what it takes to win this competition, triumphing in 1988, while they have also made the semi-finals three times since.

Koeman’s side will play in Group D at Euro 2024 alongside Poland, Austria and France, with their section opener coming against the former on June 16.

Netherlands have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, including a 4-0 success over Canada in a friendly last time out, so they are heading into the European Championship in strong form.

Holland have only tackled Iceland on 12 previous occasions, winning nine of those encounters, but the last two meetings between the two sides have ended in Iceland wins, with both fixtures coming during the qualification process for the 2016 European Championship.

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Iceland will enter Monday’s contest full of confidence, having recorded a 1-0 win over England at Wembley Stadium on Friday, with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson netting the only goal of the contest.

Our Boys will not compete at the finals of Euro 2024, though, having suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine in the playoff final towards the end of March.

Age Hareide‘s side are instead looking ahead to the return of the UEFA Nations League, with Montenegro, Turkey and Wales their opponents in Group 4 of League B at the 2024-25 competition.

Iceland, who famously reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, will enter this contest in strong form, winning four of their last five matches, and the signs are certainly bright for the future.

The national side are now eyeing what should be a famous third straight success over the Netherlands, and they have been victorious in each of their last three friendly matches without conceding a goal.

Netherlands friendly form:

Netherlands form (all competitions):

Iceland friendly form:

Iceland form (all competitions):

Team News

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Netherlands head coach Koeman will make changes to the side that started against Canada last time out, with Nathan Ake, Denzel Dumfries and Virgil van Dijk all expected to come into the defence.

Frenkie de Jong‘s involvement remains unclear, as he missed the end of last season with an ankle injury, but there should be a spot in central midfield against Iceland for Teun Koopmeiners.

Memphis Depay is comfortably the leading goalscorer in the squad with 45 goals, and the forward could be joined by Cody Gakpo in the final third of the field, while Xavi Simons is also set to be involved at some stage, having been an unused substitute in the team’s last match.

As for Iceland, head coach Hareide could decide to name the same XI that started against England, with no fitness problems being reported ahead of this contest.

Thorsteinsson hit the winner against the Three Lions and also missed another huge opportunity in the second period, and he is in line to support Andri Gudjohnsen once again.

Johann Berg Gudmundson is in line to win his 93rd cap from a deeper midfield position, while Ajax youngster Kristian Hlynsson will be hoping to feature for his country for just the second time.

Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Ake, Van de Ven; Koopmeiners, Wijnaldum, Gravenberch; Frimpong, Gakpo, Memphis

Iceland possible starting lineup:
Valdimarsson; Bjarkason, Ingason, Gretarsson, Finnsson; Traustason, Gudmundsson; Anderson, Haraldsson, Thorsteinsson; A Gudjohnsen

We say: Netherlands 2-1 Iceland

Iceland put a lot into their friendly with England, and it would therefore not be a surprise to see a drop-off in performance here. Netherlands will be determined to enter Euro 2024 off the back of a win, meanwhile, and we can see the home side navigating their way to a narrow success on Monday night.

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