The winner of this two-legged tie will move on to face either Croatia or France in the semi-finals this June.
After a tough Euro 2024 semi-final loss to England last summer, the Netherlands bounced back in the Nations League, finishing second in League A Group 3 with nine points from six games (2 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss).
Coach Ronald Koeman's squad suffered their only defeat on the road against group leaders Germany (1-0) in October. They wrapped up the group stage with a commanding 4-0 home win over Hungary and a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina in November.
Since the Nations League started in 2018, the Netherlands have come close to winning twice—finishing as runners-up to Portugal in 2019 and losing the third-place match to Italy in 2023.
Koeman now faces the challenge of shoring up a Dutch defense that managed just one clean sheet and conceded seven goals during the group stage—the most they’ve allowed at this stage in Nations League history.
That said, the Netherlands have been resilient against Spain in recent encounters, conceding only three goals in five matches (3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss). They’ll also enjoy home advantage on Thursday, where they’ve been unbeatable in their last seven games across all competitions, scoring at least four goals in five of those matches with an impressive overall score of 24-4.
On the other side, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has built an incredible record since taking charge in December 2022: 23 wins, 3 draws, and just 2 losses. Spain are the reigning Nations League and European Championship holders, having claimed their fourth Euro title last summer.
Following their Euro 2024 triumph over England, Spain dominated their Nations League group, amassing 16 points from 18 across six matches, finishing eight points clear of Denmark.
Spain is now aiming to extend their Nations League winning streak to six games. However, they face a tough Dutch side that hasn’t lost to Spain in 90 minutes since a 1-0 win in a Euro qualifier back in February 1983 in Seville.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
The Netherlands will be without Denzel Dumfries and Jerdy Schouten for their upcoming match, as both players have withdrawn from Ronald Koeman's squad due to injury. Nathan Aké, Stefan de Vrij, and Devyne Rensch are also sidelined.
Additionally, players like Micky van de Ven—who’s had his share of fitness struggles—Joshua Zirkzee, Wout Weghorst, Marten de Roon, and Quinten Timber haven't been called up.
To fill the gaps, uncapped Ajax defender Youri Baas and midfielder Mats Wieffer have been drafted in to replace Dumfries and Schouten. Frenkie de Jong is also included in Koeman’s squad but remains a slight doubt after missing Barcelona’s 4-2 La Liga win over Atletico Madrid last weekend due to illness.
Despite some uncertainty over his future at Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk is expected to lead the Dutch team as captain in central defense. Meanwhile, players like Jurrien Timber, Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders, Cody Gakpo, and Justin Kluivert will be eager to make their mark and break into the starting lineup.
For Spain, coach Luis de la Fuente has also been hit by injuries. Inigo Martinez, Marc Casado, and Bryan Zaragoza have all withdrawn from the squad. In their place, uncapped Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia have been called up.
Real Madrid center-back Raul Asencio receives his first call-up and, along with Huijsen, could make his debut. However, Pau Cubarsi and Robin Le Normand are still expected to start at center-back.
One exciting prospect for Spain is 17-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, who is set to earn his 18th senior cap on the right wing. He could be part of a three-pronged attack alongside captain Álvaro Morata and Nico Williams.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Frimpong, De Ligt, Van Dijk, J. Timber; Gravenberch, De Jong, Reijnders; Simons, Brobbey, Gakpo
Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Le Normand, Cucurella; Ruiz, Zubimendi, Pedri; Yamal, Morata, N. Williams
EXPERT PREDICTION
Netherlands 1-2 Spain
