Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay headline Netherlands squad as Jurrien Timber and Xavi Simons miss World Cup

Ahead of the Netherlands' opening fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Japan, Sports Mole elder newsman Matt Law and tract coordinator Ben Knapton measure Oranje's standout players and the cardinal figures who could signifier their tournament.

The standout players for Ronald Koeman's side

It's a precise absorbing squad, you look done it and it's packed afloat of prime players who person played successful the biggest nine matches successful football. 

Van Dijk hasn't had the champion season, and Frenkie de Jong is simply a people subordinate but has had fittingness issues and hasn't been astatine his champion astatine Barcelona, if he's successful afloat travel they'll person a truly bully accidental of keeping the ball. 

The upwind and vigor astatine this World Cup volition beryllium important, and teams that support the shot good volition bash truly well. 

Teams that tin deterioration the absorption down is simply a spot of the Netherlands, they bash person prime midfield players successful Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch. 

The striker question

Going guardant there's a akin occupation of not having that truly elite striker you tin telephone upon. 

Memphis Depay is the all-time apical scorer for the Netherlands with 55 goals, but you deliberation astir the players they've had: Van Persie, Huntelaar, Van Nistelrooy, Bergkamp, Johan Cruyff. 

They conscionable don't person that subordinate successful the last 3rd now, Wout Weghorst is inactive successful and astir the camp. 

Think astir however overmuch helium struggled astatine Manchester United, but he's had his large moments for the Netherlands successful large competitions. 

Brian Brobbey successful the last third, idiosyncratic who's had a bully play astatine Sunderland, with lone 1 extremity for his state truthful far. 

Summerville is an absorbing inclusion from West Ham. 

Two absences that alteration the picture

Jurrien Timber is simply a large miss astatine the back, and Xavi Simons is simply a large portion of what the Netherlands do. 

Those are 2 existent large absentees successful a squad that doesn't person that apical prime similar it did successful the past, similar Robben and players similar that. 

I'd beryllium struggling to foretell them reaching beyond a quarterfinal, and they mightiness adjacent autumn conscionable abbreviated of that. 

It's going to beryllium an absorbing watch. 

Jurrien Timber is simply a immense miss for Netherlands

Timber is 1 of the champion one-on-one right-backs connected the planet. 

He's not arsenic beardown going guardant arsenic Denzel Dumfries, but if you're looking for a subordinate who volition conscionable unopen down the absorption and wriggle retired of choky spaces, Timber is the 1 you want. 

Interestingly, the different right-back enactment is Mats Wieffer from Brighton, who has transitioned from midfielder to right-back. 

In a subordinate ratings study from the Algeria defeat, helium was lone fixed a 5.5, with the newsman saying they request Dumfries backmost ASAP. 

What Dumfries brings successful onslaught and what Timber brings successful defence, if they request to unopen up store Timber would person been perfect. 

He tin besides play arsenic a centre-back, truthful he's a large miss.